


Redhead

by CrystalMoonlightI



Series: Huniepop: Problems Series - Relationship Problems [2]
Category: HuniePop (Video Game)
Genre: Cheating, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, F/M, French Kissing, Friendship/Love, Heavy Drinking, Huniepop, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Kissing, Making Out, Moving On, Oral Sex, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Self-Discovery, Sexual Content, Violins, breaking up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 18:04:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 37,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7811875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalMoonlightI/pseuds/CrystalMoonlightI
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Audrey Belrose - a name so beautiful for a lady with the sharpness of thorns. Mike turned his back on her once - he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Even if it meant his life was thrown into chaos in the process. Will his heart be strong enough to support a girl with more troubles than he ever expected?</p><p>More than that - will his wayward emotions hold out against the sensual allure of a magical fairy with the power to make his wildest dreams come true?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Redhead - Part I

**Author's Note:**

> So, you chose to follow the story of Audrey? Prepare for a tale of wayward hearts and emotional conflict - all while our protagonists try to find a way to make it through the storm. I hope you enjoy the read - please feel free to leave me some feedback if you would like.
> 
> I'm very grateful for all the support people give! It helps me develop into a stronger writer.

Choices caused people hurt, it was a simple fact that Mike was becoming increasingly more aware of over the last few months. Having to walk in one direction often meant that other paths became sealed off forever; never to return. However, it was also just as clear to him that his life could not remain in a state of perpetual limbo for a moment longer.

"So," Mike began as he pressed the phone closer to his ear, "I think I've made up my mind here…."

A small chuckle from Kyu resonated over the line. "About damn time."

"Alright," she continued after a brief rustle over the line - no doubt flopping on the coudh in the apartment. "What move are you gonna make, oh great one?"

"Audrey," Mikey spoke with a soft sigh of relief. It felt good to get this off his chest at last. "This whole thing started with her. It should finish with her as well."

"Oooo," Kyu cheered loudly - a soft chuckle escaping her lips in the aftermath. "You're going for the redhead, huh? I always had this feeling you liked em a little feisty!"

Of course she'd say that. Mike couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I'm just doing the right thing here.

Preparing to leave, he slipped on his coat before bringing the phone back to his ear, "Call me an idiot. I just… I get feeling there is a lot more to Audrey than she lets on…. I don't think I gave her enough of a chance to show her true self."

"Be careful dude," Kyu warned with a playful yet slightly less cheerful laugh than usual, "Some girls are just bitches because they're shallow. You have to be sure you won't regret it."

An alarm bell rang out for Mike despite the alcohol in his system that clouded judgement. The response from his guardian, it seemed a lot less… carefree. "It's a little surprising to hear you talking half serious like this," he continued with a weak chuckle.

Eyes set upon the door, the young man started to make his way toward the exit, "Are you sure there's nothing bothering you, Kyu?" His enquiry was of genuine concern. Something just did not feel right about the mood of this conversation.

"It's such a shame," Kyu responded teasingly, giving a low and alluring chuckle. "I guess you will never know what it's like to sleep with a fairy now, huh?"

"Oh, come on!"

Mike stepped out into the street and and took a right turn. With his bearings set, he continued, "I was so fucking drunk when I mentioned that! Cut me some slack."

"God, you're so easy to tease." A howl of laughter followed from Kyu - one so intense Mike pulled the phone away from his ear. "I'm just fuckin with ya."

There was no ignoring the obvious signs. Something about Kyu's behavior still felt off. Hell, he'd known her long enough. "Are you sure you're good over t-"

"Dude," the fairy called out, this time stern enough to push him back a notch, cutting him off. "I'm good..."

Unable to say anymore after that, Mike relanted and shook the thought from his mind, continuing on his way.

The cool night air blew gently through the busy streets, its light chill serving as a contrast to the light sweat of whiskey.

Yet deep down, there was still coming the singer needed to known.

"Tell me something, Kyu," he started with an inquisitive flare - one with enough honey to lace his smooth voice, "Have you ever felt close to a human guy before?"

"Well, there's a personal question," the fairy quickly bounced back with an amused flare, "Now that's for me to know... but yeah... there was... a long time ago... He was waaaay more than a fuck buddy too..."

The abrupt pause from the fairy brought Mike to a painful quiet.

"Anywho... don't you worry your sweet ass over it, playa. That was _years ago._ These days? There's another guy... He's sweet, and a little hopless too... Not like I'm having much luck with him. Heh... it's funny... I'm a bauce in the love business and this dude? He's clueless.

"He doesn't like you?" Mike asked softly. The withdrawn tone to Kyu's voice rang out a clear mile away.

"He's not the brightest guy when it comes to women... The big idiot doesn't even realize how I feel..."

Sombre, the tone of his dear friend's voice caused Mike's brow to furrow slightly in concern. "Hey… If this dude doesn't have the sense to give you a chance... maybe you should let go... You only live once, right?"

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," Kyu continued with a sharp scoff. "Anyway, forget about me. Go get your girl! It's Saturday, so I bet she's in the club!"

Mikey turned the next corner with a spring in his step, squeezing his way through a couple of passers-by. Across the street stood a tall white building with floodlights and neon signs. A pair of suit-clad door attendants stood by the red painted main entrance. The duo wore some fairly no nonsense expressions on their gargoyle-like faces.

"Lusties," he uttered under his breath before leaning up against a street sign. "Wish me luck, okay Kyu? I'm finally going to set this shit straight!"

"You go get her, Tiger..."

The line swiftly went dead - The sudden cut off proving enough to make Mike's emerald eyes widen in surprise, "Did she just hang up on me?

* * *

Mike stood at the doorway leading inside Lusties and gave an uneasy sigh, "Saturday night…. Audrey has gotta be in here, even if it is Rock music night…."

However, the young man's attention was drawn away when somebody grabbed him strongly by the shoulder. Before he even realized it, a hand pulled him back onto the street…. Stunned, he spun around as if by impulse to try to get a glance of the person responsible.

The culprit Mike saw was a tall stranger in a scruffy black suit. He bore long dark hair and a pale complexion, his eyes seemingly covered by sunglasses. On his right wrist, there was a shiny Rolex watch, and upon several of his chunky fingers were expensive diamond rings, "Yo…. You're Mike, aren't ya?"

Of course, Mikey gave a slightly uneasy nod before pulling away from the grip of the ape-like man who squeezed his shoulder. The person was huge, and must have been three-hundred pounds at least, all pure muscle, "You clearly know who I am," The response from the singer was blunt and very defensive. In short, it was far too impolite a tone to take with somebody so imposing.

"My woman is totally obsessed with you guys and your band," the suit clad tank of a man said in his gruff Italian American accent, "She never shuts up about ya, and it's starting to piss me off."

Such news caught Mikey completely by surprise. He took a careful step back and folded his arms. Now, a metaphorical line in the sand was drawn against the unknown figure. This person, whoever he was, seemed to be organized. It could not be sheer coincidence.

"The name? It don't matter," spoke the colossal beast as he cracked his knuckles, "But I tell ya… There's something I've wanted to do for a long time."

There was no time for Mike to react. A massive fist flew in his direction and swiftly struck him with full force in the side of the jaw…. The entire world was consumed in a violent haze as the senses were torn clean from the blonde's body. Everything was jarred and there was no sense of clarity. The legs gave from beneath Mike, and he found himself falling onto the ground in a heap…. Everything went dark, and alas, for a brief moment… he felt the coldness of the concrete against his face.

"I'm gonna break your fuckin face, punk! Think you're real smooth with your music, don't ya?" The attacker came forward with pounding footsteps and struck Mike in the chest with a powerful; dirty kick straight to the ribs. Such massive force caused the blond to wheeze desperately for breath.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! Get your hands off him," A shrill feminine voice erupted through darkness. There was an unmistakable familiarity to it amongst the sea of darkness and pain.

"A-Audrey," Mike uttered in a weak rasp of breath.

Rhere were only sounds as Mikey teetered on the brink of passing out from getting hit so hard. However, his ears could not mistake the sound of heeled shoes clacking closer and closer in his direction. A pair of slender; soft hands embraced his own. They were warm, a comfort in this time of intense confusion.

"C'mon asshole…. ANSWER ME!" Audrey's voice echoed within his thought, "Hey…. I'm not kidding…. Mikey! Get up!"

There was nothing left. Darkness descended, and Mike felt his body slump to the ground.

* * *

An unfamiliar ceiling - the first sight for freshly opened eyes. Through the distorted haze a pair of strong green orbs struggled to focus upon the sight of dirty white paintwork. "….The hell," Mike groaned softly. His squinted vision finally gained enough focus to look ahead and stir intently.

Finally, his sense of self slowly returned, well, enough of it to inhale the powerfully strong scent of cigarettes. Unable to do anything else, he simply breathed in the unclean air and gave a weak cough from his tightened lungs, "So… that's what it feels like when someone kicks your ass... Dammit I feel like I've been hit by a truck..."

"So, you're finally awake?"

A voice - one he knew well, rang out beside him. "A-Audrey?"

Without warning, the sensation of soft, warm hands touching his cold arms became apparent. Mike found himself pulled upright without as much as a heads up.

Once his senses fully returned, he exhaled, followed by a pained cough from his tightened lungs, craning his head left and right to take a swift look around.

He was quick to realize he sat upon a small but dusty couch that reeked of old leather. Upon further strained inspection, his eyes beheld the sight of dingy white walls and old wooden floors. It was a small room with a single dim light hanging down. A dartboard sat in the wall behind while an old beat up TV buzzed from beside his place of seating. The picture was clear, but the set looked like something that came straight out of the nineties.

The sight of several old band posters from the early two thousands brought a brief smile to Mike's lips, "Grasp of Power, and Juggernaut…. Heh, old school Metal right there."

"Hey, pay attention to me," Mike found himself brought face to face with Audrey spoke as she snapped her fingers. Broken free from his observation, he looked across to the frowning redhead with a look of confusion.

"Sorry," Mike spoke in apology. "Still a little out of it over here..."

The sight of her delicate features in contrast with her ruby red hair was enough to grip Mike's interest almost immediately. He smiled softly, and glanced her up and down, his eyes extra sure to bask in the sight of her short and frilly dress, his attention especially fixated upon her slender white legs for an additional moment.

"Eyes up here," the young lady spoke sternly as one of her delicate hands touched the side of Mike's face, "You're lucky I brought you home. That guy was ready to keep kicking the crap outta ya... until security dragged his ass off you. Fucker... Should've kicked him in the nuts myself."

"This your apartment?" Mike asked his question with something of a confused glance, his left brow raised slightly. No wonder he did not recognize this place. In truth, Audrey had never taken him back to her house before. Usually, they would always go and spend time at his place instead.

"And you better be fucking grateful," the French-American girl spat her words with a flare of venom, her lips curved into a scowl, "You better be especially fucking thankful after what happened yesterday….."

There fight was not something Mikey felt very proud to remember. In fact, just thinking back to it was enough to make his expression darken in grim recollection. Sure, Audrey was a tricky girl to deal with, but part of him felt all too responsible for their argument.

"I'm sorry about all that," Mike said with a quiet and downturned expression. His eyes gloomy and disheartened, he looked to Audrey with as much honesty as he could muster. honestly. "I was an asshole and I should've listened to you..."

"I told you not to sweat it before, didn't I?"

She barked back with her usual flare of unpleasantness, back on form in a second flat. "After all…. You were just my fuck buddy. It's not like I give a sh-"

"Would you be quiet and let me speak for a change?" Mike spoke bluntly, almost aggressively."I came to Lusties to talk to you about all this shit... You're imp-"

Yet Audrey shook her head, scowling, cutting him off with a face like thunder. "I don't wanna hear it... You're the same as everbody else!"

Mike sighed, already at his limit with the party girl and her snappy attitude. Had to get his point across - no matter how difficult Audrey could be at times.

"I care about you, idiot! For Christ sakes, just shut up and let me have the final word for once!" Mike's voice came out as something of a frustrated roar - his overflowing emotions so powerful that Audrey stopped in her tracks. She still held a frown, but remained silent. "Fine... go on..."

Finally free to speak, Mikey exhaled with a hand on his chest. Content, he continued onward. "I didn't give you a chance…. I know there's more to you than you let people see, Audrey Belrose. Yet, you kept pushing me away, so instead of chasing you, I guess I just walked away…. You really do care about me. You wouldn't have helped me tonight otherwise... "

"Yeah, right, okay," Audrey spoke dismissively, "You couldn't even begin to understand me, Mike…. Don't start trying now!"

Mike swung his legs over the side of the couch and sat completely upright. This way he could focus the full intensity of his gaze upon the redhead in front of him, "There's a gentle side to you," he exhaled, trying so very hard to level out in a warm and caring tone. "You don't show it in your words, it's in your actions."

The initiative had to be taken here. It was the only way to break down walls. Mike placed his hands upon Audrey's shoulders and gazed directly into her eyes. She shuddered under the intensity of his sudden move, but strangely, didn't back away,

"Who made you my fucking therapist?" The typical Audrey response, but there was no doubt about it. She sounded a little fearful.

Doubling down, Mike kept on going. "I'm starting to fall for you, hard, but dammit, if you don't give me a chance to tell you how I feel there's no point. I want to make this work... because the last few months we've been together? They've been great.

"Why should I believe a damn word you say?"

Audrey flipped her hair back and screeched in frustration, "All you guys are the same! You don't want me! You only want what I've got..."

The young lady shoved Mike back against the couch and lifted her skirt, her ruby eyes burned with anger. With one hand keeping the frills of her dress up, the other pointed toward the tight fitting red panties that clung sensually to her womanly assets.

"That's all any fucking guy wants me for," she shouted in a violent wave of aggression. "I've never-"

The last restraints of Mike's sanity finally snapped. With eyes ablaze, he stood from the couch and focused his gaze upon Audrey. His emerald eyes burned with an intensity far beyond his usual character. Truth be told, he had been forced to suppress his feelings for far too long, something that was not heathy for an emotional man.

"I fucking love you! I've wanted to say it for so long... Would you stop being so damn hard-headed and fucking listen to me for a change?"

Mike shouted so powerfully that his whole body shook.

Audrey took a cautious step back, her eyes wide, and her expression visibly shaken by the sheer volume.

The redhead stood silently with shaking hands at her sides, "….You…. Nobody's ever said that to me before."

Her voice was tiny and shaken, as close to the verge of breaking as it could possibly get. "Not a single person."

Finally free of all the excess anger and frustration, Mike bowed his head and gave a reserved nod, "Well I do… and news flash," He brought his emerland eyes upward again and smiled fondly, "You took my virginity…. You were my first."

His feelings surged and swayed in the heat of such a powerful moment. Every attempt was made to close his eyes and hide behind his gelled hair, but such efforts didn't conceal the handful of tears pattering softly on the floor.

"I'm not making this shit up... I haven't slept with anyone but you." A tiny, fragile admission, but one from the heart. "That night at my place? You know the one when I ate those brownies not knowing what they were? Yeaaah... That was my first time."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Audrey whispered in silent reflection of the truth. "For fuck sakes me! You could've said something!"

The young man shook his head slightly, "You never were all too good with the romantic stuff..."

A single girlish sob erupted from Audrey's lips and bounced across the four walls of the dingy room. She zipped forward on her slender legs and came crashing into Mike with the force of a little bulldozer. Her arms squeezed around his middle while her delicate fingers dug into his back.

"You bastard," she whimpered softly, "I fucking hate you so much….."

"But you're still holding me," Mike spoke, smooth and warm as he drew the delicate young lady into a protective embrace.

"Shut up... I'm doing this because-"

"Shhh," Mike ran his fingers through Audrey's long red hair and gave a gentle sigh, "You don't have to say a word….."

**To be continued….**


	2. Redhead - Part II

The overwhelming silence only seemed to compliment the setting of the mood right now. A period of calm after an emotional storm was only natural. Audrey leaned her head against Mike's shoulder and closed her eyes contently. For a brief moment, a tiny little smile curved the corner of her lips. Sadly, it faded just as quickly as it arrived.

"I still don't get why you keep coming back to me," Audrey's words bore a calmness about them. Such a relaxed admission of her own low worth seemed almost an automatic reflex. She remained unmoving as the words came free from her mouth.

A sigh escaped from Mike as he reflected on the events of the evening so far, "You play the 'tough girl' act. Behind that there's a girl with a lot of love trying to shine through."

An annoyed scoff came from the woman with the red hair, "….You shouldn't be in a band. A guy like you needs to be a fucking counsellor…"

Mike placed his arm around Audrey's slender waist and drew her in softly. He felt her petite form shudder slightly under such genuinely affectionate contact, but she did not reject it.

"Are you admitting I'm right?" the young man followed with a chuckle, as his hold upon her became the slightest bit tighter.

"In your dreams, jackass," Audrey's words came with a little smile of warmth before she edged away from Mikey a few inches. His slightly questioning expression sprang up, a showing of worry, "I need a cigarette," Miss Belrose continued. Her pale fingers produced a lighter from one of the pockets of her dress.

A strange quiet overtook the room again, its intensity being something of a stark contrast to the screaming and shouting that took place about thirty minutes earlier. Then again, stark contrast seemed to be something that this young couple had in common. Audrey went from relaxed to aggression in a moment flat. Mike however, he was much more stoic. His emotions would always end up stored for later. They built and built in their weight until they crushed him.

"You _might_ be right about a couple of things with me, but you better not let it go to your head or anything," Audrey's low voice shattered the veil of intoxicating quiet. She took a drag of her cigarette before exhaling softly, "Life wasn't always an awesome party for me, ya know? When I was a kid shit was really different... not much left of that little girl now though."

She could not admit anything to do with her feelings outright. This pattern was becoming plainly obvious to Mike. He realized that the best he would get from this girl were half admissions at the most, "….Take it easy. Don't go telling me things if you don't want to." His insistent tone bore a degree of gentleness to it.

Audrey's bright eyes fixated upon the dirty ceiling in a moment of sobering reflection. She let out a deeply cynical chuckle aimed at the memories of her past, "….Might as well. You're the first guy that hasn't tried to bed me in a minute flat. I guess that's a good thing... for what it's worth."

Mike seemingly wrestled with thoughts of his own as well. His glowing emerald orbs remained fixated upon the palms of his outstretched hands, almost as if he were casting silent judgement upon himself, "I'm an idiot romantic at heart. It has to be some weird thing that musicians feel on their travels."

"You're too deep Mike, shit," Audrey sighed in mild frustration and stubbed out her smoke, "You've gotta like, let your hair down, live a little. You keep on thinking too much and it's gonna kill ya."

"Coming from the girl that never looks beyond the surface," Mike brought his gaze across to Audrey and gave a small and uneasy smirk.

"Hey, screw you! It's not that easy, alright? Fucking jeez," A vacant expression overtook Audrey's face for many a moment. Her eyes, they seemed hollow and almost lost. It was as if the young lady was in another place entirely, "….I'm the girl that nobody fucking wanted, like, ever," she finally continued with a pained snarl.

A desire to comfort the redhead seemed to be all Mike could think about right now. However, his better judgement decided against it for the time being. The young man simply folded his arms and gave a concerned raise of the brow, "….Go on. I'm here to listen..."

Vicious images and sharp colours served as reminders of an even unhappier time. Balled fists and aggression; been pushed and shoved around like a rag doll, the stink of booze from angry men, and the all too familiar ritual of getting locked out of the house and left to wander the streets. These combined memories caused things to twist and gnarl up inside like the roots of a tree. While Mike could not see or know of Audrey's emotions, he quickly realized their impact as they manifested. The redhead's expression was all the proof he needed.

"….My dad was an asshole," The violence in Audrey's voice was chilling in its animosity. Mike watched nervously as her delicate hands balled into fists of anger and shook, "….Dirty old bastard…. Fucking filthy pig…. I can still feel his hands on me in my dreams sometimes. He used to hurt me just for fun…. His friends… they used to come onto me all the time…. Made me feel disgusting..."

The pretty features of Audrey's face became so contorted with bitterness. A sickening scowl of utter contempt consumed her entire face, while the aura she gave off quickly became one of frightful rage. Such a look of utter hatred was powerful enough to strike a little wave of fear into Mike…. More so, he sensed that the small list of terrible things he was being told was only the tip of a very large iceberg.

A shrill little shriek escaped from Audrey's lips, as she stood upright from the couch. Her entire body still shook as such a slew of overwhelmingly negative emotions swirled inside of her, "….I don't fucking get it…. I don't even know why I feel like this around you... Urgh! God... pisses me off talking like this."

"I didn't ask you to, and don't force your feelings if you're struggling," Mike spoke softly with his head held low. Just the handful of brief things he had been told were enough to paint an extremely horrible picture of what this woman's past was like.

The clacking of shoes across the floor was the primary source of sound as the blonde kept his eyes fixated upon the ground. He made no attempt to address it while his overactive mind still processed the snippets of truth…. Yet, his moments of deep thought shattered swiftly as a pair of cold hands clasped his cheeks. They slowly moved his head up until he could see a pair of tearful: red eyes staring at him intensely.

"Daddy always treated my life like a game, so in the end I just started to do the same." Hearing such a thing said caused the blond to hurt a little bit. It was a very tragic insight in his opinion. Such a beautiful girl with skin as pale as a snow angel. Yet, beyond the surface she felt so twisted inside.

"What the hell makes you so different from all the other guys? Why am I telling you all of this?" Audrey's saddened and frustrated voice only served to make the piercing realization of her emotional chaos all the more hurtful.

Regardless, she leaned in and kissed Mike with hardened aggression. This was yet another stark contrast. While the embrace of their lips was extremely harsh, the softness of the cuddle they shared while doing so was not.

The two parted in anticipation for another round of difficult silence. The nature of the woman was as rough as sandpaper, while the man hid everything he felt behind whiskey and a smile. One only had the power to express their extremely damaged emotions with actions, while the other faltered with direct action and had to rely on the use of his words; music; lyrics.

Audrey simply sunk into the warmth of such a caring hug. Her solemn expression did plenty to show the extent of what she felt right now. She wriggled as closely to Mike as she could while her fingers squeezed the fabric of his shirt, "Why can't I get rid of you like everybody else?"

"….Because there was a time when things never used to go my way." Mike's mind flashed back to his life before the love fairy intervention. He was practically a different person back then, "Now," he smiled coolly to himself and held the girl in his arms tightly, "….I don't half ass things anymore."

Audrey felt a little flush overtake her cheeks, "When you try to sound cool like that... it's so lame."

"Yet you're still blushing," came a smirking retort from Mike.

"….Shut up," swiftly followed in unison with one of Audrey's trademark haughty little laughs.

A bizarre feeling of comfort and safety, it was something Audrey felt whenever Mike held her close like this. She felt very calm and at ease with it, a response that both pleased and utterly frightened her in equal measure. Letting somebody into her life so strongly, was it truly a good idea? Was it normal to feel two very conflicting emotions at the same time? Still, the way this strangely frustrating person with blond hair embraced her, it was a sensation she was starting to like.

"You're annoying," A childish declaration of Audrey's current thoughts, "If I tell you to just fuck me and leave… you're not gonna, are you?"

Mike shook his head softly, eyes closed, "Nope. I made the mistake of letting you go once."

"Most guys don't come back," she replied frustrated, the tightness of grip increasing to resemble that of a desperate squeeze.

"I'm sorry…." The low note of Mike's tone spoke volumes of his feelings, "I never should have brushed you aside like I did."

"Was the other girl as good as me in bed, huh?" Audrey scoffed to accompany the underlying tone of bitterness.

"I told you," Mike continued defensively. He found himself dumbfounded by the manner of their interaction. How was it even possible for a girl to hold you so lovingly while she threw angry questions your way?

"I didn't even sleep with her. We just hung out together, went to see movies, it was that sort of thing." The sincerity of his voice was a plus side to the sudden more serious atmosphere of the discussion.

Audrey needed proof. In her experience, words were a cheap commodity, something that could be used and easily thrown away. It was a plain fact that she could not distance her mind from. She looked piercingly into the pair of emerald eyes belonging to Mike.

"Break up with this other girl if you care about me so much," The redhead backed away and placed her hands upon her slender hips commandingly, "If you do I might think about taking you seriously…."

A cold dread washed over Mike in autonomous response to the commands of the girl in the red dress. His head filled with visions of Tiffany, her smiling face, her cheery demeanour, and most of all, the warmth of the last couple of months they spent dating. A lump formed in the young man's throat. The last thing he wanted was to cause Tiffany Maye any undue harm.

The light tapping of an impatient foot against the wooden floor snapped Mike back from the confines of his thoughts, "Look," Miss Belrose said bluntly, "….I just spilled my heart to you, asshole. I'm not giving you much choice."

With a trio of fingers held up, the lady continued, "You can break up with her. You can fuck me and leave... or you can just leave already…."

The sight of a scowl curving the lips of Audrey caused Mike to shiver, "If you walk away from me again though... after all I've told you," came her violently focused voice, "I don't ever want to see you again."

The truth was a painful thing. No matter how much Mike tried to deny it, there was a sense of harsh reality to all of his actions. He was smart, smart enough to know that there was no such thing as a perfect ending in real life. His eyes seemed subdued in their intensity. It was mostly down to the overwhelming strength of Audrey's energy when she was serious about something.

"I'll do it," Mike nodded in agreement. His left hand slowly slid into his pocket and produced his phone, "I'll arrange a meeting with her and break things off."

There came a time and a place when you had to stand up and make a choice. Mike could not be so selfish as to allow himself the luxury of two girls at once, and he knew it.

Audrey smirked expectantly and crept closer again. She let out a semi surprised little snort and shuffled to meet Mike. With no warning at all she slapped her lips against his and kissed him strongly for a second time, "Thanks," she whispered playfully when they parted.

This entire situation was proving a little disorienting for Mike. The way Audrey switched moods from tearful; to angry, to playful and then back. it felt like some kind of testament to a very fragile emotional state that she would never admit to outright. Was this some kind of reflection of just how much crap she had been subjected to throughout her entire life? The man with the blonde hair couldn't help but take such a line of thought into consideration.

"I'll set everything right," his smooth voice came in tow with something that resembled a weak smile.

"Oh, you better," Words that bore an uncharacteristic amount of seriousness to them for a girl like this one.

A part of Audrey that wanted to believe, despite better judgement. Such an action was not usually a luxury, especially since her awful excuse of a family treated her so badly in the past. Was it okay to let somebody in like this?

* * *

Still, she pushed such a potentially terrifying thought to the back of her mind and looked to Mike with inviting eyes. Her mind often wandered to less wholesome places when the stress of real life problems threatened to overwhelm her, "You can stay tonight if you want…."

"So long as you don't m-"

However, Mike found himself pushed down to the couch rather playfully before he had a second to respond. While initially caught off guard, he eventually eased into the sensation of Audrey's slim body slinking atop of him. Her eyes, they burned with a fire of sorts, yet… there was something different about them on this occasion. Their intent was much more loving this time around.

"Are you sure about this?" Mikey asked cautiously in light of this sudden but very Audrey-like development.

Audrey felt very sure of herself. After all, Mike had sat beside her all all evening and listened to the small amount of problems she felt safe sharing. Nobody ever did that for her, not ever. The fact he did, it made her feel special for the first time in what seemed like forever. She wanted to show her gratitude. No, it was more than that. She wanted to show that she really cared. _Actions spoke louder than words._

The young lady nodded with a devilish smile, "….I want to…. Now shut up and let me rock your world…."

Mike nodded his head softly, "Alright... As long as it's what you want." He wasn't afraid of his own feelings any longer. Part of him had longed for Audrey ever since the night she took his virginity, even though he denied it for so long out of fear. It was a beautiful memory that was forever written into his heart.

From here on out he simply basked in the overpowering sensation of multiple intoxicating kisses. They were so overwhelming that the breath was simply stolen from his lungs with each embrace of the lips. Once Audrey parted, she let out a gentle purr of enjoyment and slinked downward to his chest. Her delicate fingers slid against the fabric of his shirt as they effortlessly popped open one button at a time.

A naughty giggle flowed free as her deep eyes gazed upon the sight of Mike's well-toned chest, "….Hehe… Looking good…."

Tiny little sighs of approval escaped from Mike. The delicate sensation of soft lips lightly caressing the expanse of his bare skin. Such a feeling, it was electrifying. His brain simply melted under a wave of extreme enjoyment, his senses only partially noticing that said kisses were slowly creeping lower and lower. They eventually came to a stop just above his stomach.

The redhead's dainty fingers stopped just short of his belt buckle. They crept downward painstakingly slowly and batted at his crotch slowly… caressing.

"….Tell me you love me," Audrey demanded teasingly as she continued the gentle rubbing motion with her hand. "C'mon…. Say it already….."

Mikey arched his head back with a little gasp of pleasure and writhed, "I love you Audrey…. I love you, and…. I want to be… with you."

Being told she was loved, it was no small thing…. A lone tear trickled from her eye and she smiled happily, "I guess I… kind of like you too."

The clacking of a metal belt buckle filled the quiet confines of the room. Audrey's hands worked swiftly to bring the cold metallic object undone…. The final defence in the way of her desires now was a lone button of the jeans. It was easily popped in a lone slip of the fingers allowing what she wanted to see to come into plain sight.

"Well… fuck," she gasped in surprise at the sight that was just barely confined within Mike's boxers, "Look at you," the chuckle that followed was extremely dirty.

Mikey writhed and wriggled in a sea of blissful torture. He felt delicate hands free the powerful object hidden within the constricting prison of his undergarments. His eyesight, half blurred with desire, caught the brief sight Audrey effortlessly sliding away her red underwear and kicking them aside. She drew out every single second of the ordeal to make it as unbearable as possible.

The vixen in red slowly slinked atop of Mike again and used her dainty hands to lift the ruffles of her dress. The gorgeous sight of her delicate flower was enough to cause the man underneath her to gasp. His entire body, it was burning with a powerful heat.

"You want me…. I know you want me," Audrey spoke in tormenting bliss as she flexibly wrapped her legs around Mike's back and softly pressed against his manly power with her womanly jewel.

Mike felt his entire body quake under the impending bliss. He watched Audrey's face contort with slight discomfort as she eased herself down upon his special place. The overwhelming warmth that enveloped him, it was even more amazing than the times he had with her shared before.

Rasping sighs of enjoyment came free from Mike with each movement of Audrey's hips. All the while little purrs of affection came free from her, and the two sounds intertwined almost musically.

A tiny giggle escaped from the young lady between her little cries of approval, "Mikey... Hold me... don't let me go..."

Mike threw his head back in an elongated moan of pleasure. His brain continued to melt under the passionate sensation of being joined…. He was entirely subdued, a willing participant in Audrey's lustful torment, and he loved every second. It was going to be an extremely long night.

**To be continued….**

* * *


	3. Redhead - Part III

_Why was she standing alone in the twilight? Please, let her go... She doesn't want any more lonely nights. She takes a deep breath beneath the hazy sky. She feels like she's losing, but it's gonna be alright..._

The end of a chaotic night always brought the start of a new day. There was a form comfort to be found in the warmth of a morning sunrise. However, some preferred to be basked in the orange glow of sunset. Regardless, everybody that faced the midnight moon had to awaken and face the 'morning after.'

A groggy feeling seemed to wash over everybody when they first woke up from a deep slumber. It was about as normal brushing their teeth to purge the taste in their mouth from the night before. Eyes fluttered open to find an unfamiliar; stained ceiling starting back at them. This room, it was almost devoid of light apart from the brief slithers that penetrated the curtains. As Mike's senses returned, he became aware of a pair of gentle arms wrapped around his middle. They held him desperately, as if he were a teddy bear.

"Audrey…," the sight of the familiar girl gave him a smile. She lay beside him as bare as the day she was born. An aura of innocence radiated from her as she slept soundly at his side, the thin bed sheets protecting the womanly assets of her body from view.

It was very unusual to see just how delicate and fragile Miss Belrose looked as the soft embrace of sleep held her, "You look so innocent." Mike whispered his words with a degree of fondness at this most rare and somewhat picturesque sight.

His thoughts ran over the events of last night in brief photographic flashes. Many key points stood out above the others. Audrey's pale skin and the brightness of her clothes, the feeling of her body entwined with his, and the strange moments of comfort, they shared afterward…. The things Audrey did spoke so loudly, especially the way she held him in the heat of the moment.

"…..I didn't think I'd ever find love in this strange town, and I can't say I was looking when we played at Lusties that night..."

The abrupt realization that he had things to do today snapped Mike out of his happy musing. He stretched his free arm outward in the direction of the bedside desk, "C'mon, phone…. Where are you?"

His fingers ran across the surface during the length of their search. The long digits collided with a couple of alien objects along the way, "Audrey's cigarettes…. Nope…. Ah, there it is…." Mikey's hand scooped up the cell in a loose grip. With a victorious smile, he flicked up the screen in a finger press. Bright light beamed into his eyes and caused those emerald orbs of his to squint in mild discomfort.

Once the light's glare wore off, the young man focused his gaze upon the clock in the top corner of the screen, "Two in the afternoon. Well shit," came a small sigh from his lips, "I've become such a late riser since I graduated college."

Audrey still held onto Mike and did not budge. Nothing seemed to move her when she was asleep. In fact, her slumber was so deep that her lover wondered if it were possible for anything short of an earthquake to wake her.

Still, it made it much easier to move without incurring any undue wrath. "I need to get up." Mike's words served to prompt his actions in this moment of sleepiness. It took mammoth effort, but eventually he found the power to pull down the covers and move one of his legs out of the creaky old bed.

"Mmmm," A low murmur came from Audrey. It was almost as if she sensed that the man beside her attempting to escape her grasp. Her arms subconsciously tightened around his waist and pulled him even closer to the warmth of her body.

"Guess I'm not moving after all." Mike chuckled softly and pulled the covers over his scantily clad form. It was cold in this apartment…. He welcomingly accepted Audrey's warmth and ran a gentle hand through her bright red hair, "I wish you were this affectionate when you're awake…."

* * *

The walk across to the cabstand took long enough. Audrey lived really far out of the way from the centre of town. It made Mikey wonder just how she managed to get him back to her place after he was attacked last night.

The young man shook the thought from his mind and allowed his body to sink into the soft leather seating of the taxi. His fingers nervously fidgeted across the digital keypad of his phone, a desperate attempt to distract himself from the reality of what he needed to do before long.

"I have to break up with Tiffany." Such a thought made his heart hurt a little bit. Miss Maye was such a sweet girl. A bright and happy natural blonde; the captain of the college cheer squad; the perfect student, and a downright loving girlfriend. Yet, such an ideal picture of perfection was not what he wanted. His eyes found beauty beneath the flaws of a fiery redhead.

Mike, being a typically deep person to begin with, always saw something beneath the jagged surface that Audrey put out to the rest of the world around her. The picture he painted of her was through subtle actions she showed… the way she held him with such longing, the flickers of affection in her eyes even when she scowled, and most importantly… the manner in which she approached his relationship with Tiffany even though they weren't officially a couple... The tiny cries of a more gentle heart always seemed to slip through the cracks in the redhead's defences.

"Hey… bub. You want me to take a right here?" The driver's question served to snap Mike from his thoughts with its gravelly tone.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry! Turn right and it's the second building along." The young man's hasty response was enough to appease the driver, who quickly brought his eyes back to the road.

"I swear, you kids these days. You're always away with the fairies…."

The driver's grumblings brought the mental image of pink hair into Mike's thoughts, "Kyu." His fingers swiftly tapped the keypad to bring up the call registry, "Why did she hang up on me last night?"

He scrolled up until the name of his love fairy was highlighted in a bright shade of green. "I should call and check she's alright…." However, Mike's heartbeat seemed to escalate further and further with every passing moment he pondered the thought. Was she annoyed with him for some strange reason? Whatever the deal was, he needed to know. Unable to mask his unease any longer, the young man punched the 'call' button'.

A powerful sense of nervousness rose higher and higher with every passing moment the dial tone chimed. This felt just like Lusties a few nights back. Calling Tiffany to speak with her felt just as stressful. Mere seconds seemed to drag on for an eternity as another little cycle of beeps sounded over the line. The feeling of uncertainty, Mike hated it so much…. He kept on silently hoping that Kyu would just pick up already and let the torture of waiting end.

' _Hey there! You've reached Kyu! I'm not near my phone right now, but leave me a message and I'll-'_

"Voicemail," Mike sighed nervously and hung up. "Just what the hell is up with her right now?"

"Yo! We're here! That'll be eleven and thirty cents."

Mike brought his gaze upward and gave a hurried nod to acknowledge what was said. The driver looked across to him expectantly with an outstretched hand. Without thinking, Mike absentmindedly pulled a crumpled pile of bills from his pocket and placed them into the cabby's palm, "Keep the change."

The sight of a small and modern apartment complex entered Mike's field of vision when he climbed out of the car. The familiar setting of the three-story building built from brick and metal caused him to feel a small degree of comfort even amidst his current nervousness. A small neon sign hung above the archway that lead toward the main door, "East Drive, building B. I'm home…."

He passed by a couple of the other tenants along his way down the path and gave one of them a wave. Even the most trivial things served as a distraction from the bigger picture at this moment in time.

* * *

The elongated echo of footsteps resonated throughout the entirety of the corridor as Mike neared the door to his apartment. Only three other tenants shared this floor with him, one of which he knew was an older woman, "Crazy cat lady clearly isn't home right now." A chuckle resonated from his mouth at the thought. The tell-tale way of knowing she was home was hearing her television blurring from behind the door.

"Keys… keys…. For Christ sakes please tell me I didn't leave my keys at Audrey's." Frantic patting of the trouser pockets caused a sigh of relief to erupt from Mike. He pulled an assortment of different sized keys on a small chain from his pocket, smiling as he went. The amount of times he almost lost them on a weekly basis was unreal.

The door locks came undone with a few turns of the largest, shiniest key of the bunch. Hand now rested upon the handle, the peroxide blond turned it and swung the door open with a little extra force, "Home. Kyu! You still here?"

The silence he heard in response was almost deafening. Mike was so used to hearing Kyu's voice when he got home these days: to not hear anything this time around was making him feel a little sad.

"Hey…. Kyu? If you're home... let me know!"

Again, there was nothing but stillness and silence. Mikey kicked the door shut behind him and proceeded further inside. His shoes tapped softly across the expanse of the hardwood floor as he went.

"Okay…. So she's not in the living room," he whispered to himself as his eyes scanned the immediate surroundings. The sitting area looked practically untouched. The TV was off, and interestingly, the coffee table did not have any cups or glasses sitting upon it. Not even a stray cushion or blanket was thrown messily upon the leather sofa like usual. No Kyu-like signs of any kind caught the immediate attention, not even the one most common. The 'exotic literature' she usually left discarded in plain sight was nowhere to be seen.

The next part of the search brought Mike into his small bedroom in the back. A quick glance around alerted him to no immediate disturbances of his clothing or other belongings. In addition, none of his own reading material looked to be missing.

Finally, the young man gave a slight sigh, "Yeah. Kyu definitely isn't here right now."

After sitting down on his sofa-style bed Mikey allowed his brain to mull over the events of last night. His photographic memory generated little snippets of the key events. The fists of an angry man attacking him. Kyu hanging up the phone and his eyes gazing down at the screen in confusion. Moreover, there was also Audrey…. Her sudden and uncharacteristic outburst of emotion about her past. In truth, he never expected things to play out in such a complicated way.

Golden blonde hair in pigtails, the thought of Tiffany came to the forefront next. Mike had several elements of her personality memorized. Her smile; her laugh, and the way she always put the needs of others before her own when she wasn't studying. She was a good girl with a very kind heart. That somewhat balanced and ultimately stable type of young lady was very hard to come across nowadays.

"I wish there was some way I could let her go without having to hurt her. A girl as gentle as Tiff doesn't deserve the bullshit."

A scowl of contempt curved Mike's lips in response to his own words. He hopped up from his bed to make his way across to the large mirror beside his door. For the longest time his deep green eyes focused in on the full extent of his reflection, "Damn…. I look like shit right now."

The clothes he wore bore creases. There was no sidestepping the issue. They just looked straight up messy and untidy. The left side of his shirt had a fair sized rip in it from the scuffle last night. Then, there was his hair. The usually gelled and well-styled arrangement it usually had was gone. Right now, there was nothing but a look of supreme untidiness akin to that of his earlier and less successful days.

It had been a very rough night before, and the results were cast back in the form of a mirror image. Mike let out a small yawn. He felt tired as well. Thanks in no small part to Audrey for keeping him awake until the crack of dawn. "All that stuff from last night... It was crazy…. Audrey's had it a lot tougher than I thought..."

It was pretty clear that the Audrey choose to live her life by burning the candle at both ends. Such a thing was eye opening, and yet after everything she still came to his aid when he needed her most. Yet, there was always a big question Mike was always unsure of... For what reason did she choose to live in a manner so destructive? It was worrying thought he pondered all of the time he knew her. However, something the redhead said last night had finally given the blond a good idea of one possible cause.

' _Daddy always treated my life like a game, so in the end I just started to do the same.'_

"Is that how you really feel, Audrey?" The earlier anger Mike felt from before started to fizzle away slowly as he contemplated that tragic possibility, "….Are you trying to burn yourself out because you don't care about your life?"

Those words felt strangely haunting to recall. Such a terrible idea was enough to cause the blood in his veins to feel the slightest bit colder. A picture was being painted here, one of a sad and lonely girl that lived for today because her heart was too bitter and jaded to think about tomorrow.

"Fuck it. I need a shower." He had to take his mind off such a line of thought. Then again, was he overthinking things?

"No, I don't think so," came Mike's voice with a resolute nod.

Actions combined with a few snippets of words revealed so much that a harsh tongue did not. He believed that Audrey was unhappy. Her fulfilment was physical because she could not deal with the emotional side of things.

* * *

On his way into the kitchen Mike caught the sight of something from the corner of his eye, "Is that a note? I could've sworn that wasn't there before..."

Closer inspection of the piece of paper on the counter caused emerald eyes to widen in surprise. The pink pen it was written in gave proof enough that this article was composed by Kyu, even if she hadn't signed it at the bottom, which she had. Mikey cleared his throat in preparation to read the full contents of the letter aloud.

"Hey tiger! If you're reading this then I'm not going to be around for a little while. I guess I just… need a break from work for a couple of days. A fairy doesn't get overtime… shitty, am I right? Anyway… be careful around Mega Bitch, okay? I have this weird feeling shit might get crazy if I leave you on your own. Oh, and Mikey…. Don't go undoing all my hard work while I'm gone! You're like, really high maintenance… but your heart's in the right place! See you soon…. How about you turn over the note and take a peek at the back? You'll like it! Love Kyu!"

Mike sighed with relief. His tensed shoulders relaxed slightly and he closed his eyes for a second, "Kyu's okay... That's a relief. I don't know what I'd do if I pissed her off."

Curious, the young man turned over the paper and looked with curiosity, "A picture?"

"A bikini… a pink one…. What is it with you giving me these, Kyu? Seriously?" Despite his surprise, Mikey could not help his heart jumping a little as his gaze fixated upon the polaroid. Kyu's slender form lay sprawled upon a sandy golden beach. The excuse for a swimsuit that clung to her body was so minimalistic that it couldn't be compared to much more than a couple of strings. The word 'rawwr' was crudely scribbled on the bottom of the photograph in the same magenta coloured marker pen.

Despite his best judgement, Mikey still found himself sticking the photograph on the front of the fridge. He shook his head in amusement and shrugged. "Just what the hell am I doing? C'mon Mike… get a grip."

He reached out to pull the photo down. His hand struggled to fulfil the task, and in the end left the image alone, "I better hide it before Kyu gets back. She won't let me live it down if she sees it."

Actions related to every other girl had acted as a diversion today. It seemed Mike was doing everything in his power to not think about the one who he really needed to deal with. The promise to Audrey last night still rang true even if he was trying to forget for a moment.

"Tiffany….."

The cheerleader was still blissfully unaware of the truth. It was important to deal with the issue as soon as possible. The longer the whole thing went on for, the more it would end up hurting her.

"I'm really sorry about all of this." Mikey produced his phone from the confines of his pocket. His thumbs anxiously punched in the blonde's number. Alas, he found himself nervously waiting once again. He was at the mercy of the dial tone, something for which words could not even begin to express his hatred.

"Mikey! I was really hoping to hear from you! So, have you made up your mind about next weekend?" The cheerful voice of Tiffany met his ears. However, it only served to increase the feeling of dread the young blond man felt.

"I can't make it I'm afraid. I have plans that I can't move around. Sorry…."This whole thing was ending up to be far more disheartening than he thought. It really hurt saying these things.

"Oh… okay." The fact that Tiffany's usually upbeat voice sounded so disappointed did not help his current situation much either.

"Then how about we go see a movie or something? I'm not babysitting Philly this week, so we could still do something on Friday?" Another happy suggestion was the last thing Mike needed right now. It only served to make all of this more difficult.

"Can we meet tonight? I really need to talk to you in person…." It was the fastest response, the first thing that came to mind to counter an invitation on a date he could no longer partake. The musician felt his heartbeat thump heavily in waiting for any kind of reply.

"Alright! But… is there something wrong?" There was no way an A grade student like Tiffany would mistake the tone in her boyfriend's voice for anything but unhappy. "If there is," she continued, "Just leave it to me! I'll cheer you up before you know it!"

"Just," Mike felt his throat tighten. He wanted to tell her to stop. He couldn't stand her being so cheerful when he knew what he had to do. "Is Eight okay with you?

"Of course, eight's fine," Tiffany's concerned tone came in swift response.

"Okay. Let's meet at Nutmeg Café." In Mike's mind, it seemed like the most… neutral place to host a breakup. Such a setting was far less extravagant than a fancy restaurant, and far more personal than the booming music of Lusties nightclub.

"Nutmeg it is," Tiffany's tone picked up again almost as quickly as it faded. She wanted to be there for the man she loved about all else. "Mikey... try your best to cheer up, okay? I'm here for you. I promise!"

"I know you are…. You have been since the day I met you. Tiff… I'm sorry." Without so much as another word Mike hung up the call. A moment longer and he knew he would crack under the pressure. Finally, the stage was set. The blond singer exhaled deeply and tossed his phone onto the kitchen counter. "No turning back now."

Eyes cast back to the picture of Kyu on the fridge door; a sigh escaped his lips. After all, he couldn't help but feel a little lost without his love fairy, "I'll _try_ not to fuck everything up while you're gone…"

Yet, Mike was still afraid. He felt so much conflict in his heart. Not because he questioned his feelings for Audrey, but because it felt horrible to make Tiffany suffer.

"Still," one of his hands reached across the counter for an idle shot glass. His emerald eyes tracked down a bottle of coppery coloured liquor sat across from it. Mike poured himself a particularly large hit of Whiskey and frowned, "What's worse here... the painful truth, or a blissful lie?"

He slammed back his drink and basked in the burn as the liquid slid down his throat. "This is turning out to be nowhere near as easy as I thought…."

**To be continued….**


	4. Redhead – Part IV

Tiffany glanced nervously at the line in the store. There were so many people buying groceries for the middle of the week. She could not help but let out a frustrated sigh and twiddle with one her blonde locks. Were people panic buying for some crazy weather warning or something? Her thoughts remained glued on the trivial reason for her last minute visit. All she was here for was to pick up a new toothbrush and some scented soap.

"C'mon… I'm going to be late." Her oceanic gaze locked onto the clock in the corner impatiently. "It's almost seven already?"

After all, she was due to meet Mike in about an hour. The last thing she wanted to do was keep him waiting. He didn't sound happy taking on the phone earlier. It was extremely worrying to her. Mikey clearly needed a hug and some emotional comfort. Why else would he invite her out for coffee so suddenly?

"Do you want to pay by credit card sir?" Tiffany could feel her usually cheerful smile fading quickly with every extra second that passed. Hearing the young man on the register serve somebody four places ahead in line only added to the stress too. Usually coming into the store was a fun experience for her, but this time around, it was proving to be anything but.

"Oh, those muffins are half off? Give me a second, would you? I'll just go fetch some more." The cheerleader's vision slowly turned to red as she watched the person at the front of the line leave for another bag of breakfast treats. A quiet huff of rage slipped out in conjunction with a bratty stomp of her left foot. "Hurry up, would you?" she whispered venomously as the endless wait continued.

The clock kept on ticking ever closer to the impending date this evening. Slowly but surely another person in the line was served. Yet, by the time it came to Tiffany's turn in line she was more bothered by the time on her dainty pink watch, "Now I've only got a half hour."

"Thank you, bye!" One quick financial transaction saw a flustered young woman, still dressed in her cheerleading outfit from earlier in the day, dashing for the way out with an incredible degree of haste.

"Are you fucking with me or something? You want thirty bucks for a fucking pill?" A familiar and bellowing voice brought the already flustered Miss Maye sliding to a stop at the exit. She turned back to catch a glance of somebody colourful and vibrant. A girl with porcelain skin slouched against the pharmacy counter with a dirty scowl twisting her lips. She wore clothing akin to that of a Christmas gift: the whole getup being violently red, skimpy, and overly flashy.

"Audrey, is that you?" Tiffany placed her small bag of goods on her wrist and went over to join the girl.

"Tiffany Maye? Damn! Where have you been these past few weeks?" The rouge hellion forked over a handful of bills and received a small brown pharmacy bag from the rather grumpy middle-aged gentleman manning the counter. "Thirty… shit. Talk about a fucking JOKE."

Audrey discreetly tucked the small package away in her purse and followed up with a disjointed smile. "You like, haven't been to the club with me in… forever. I need to get your ass outta that dorm room before you gather dust!"

An uneasy expression of greeting was the best thing Tiffany could force herself to give. After all before her stood Audrey Belrose: their friendship was a very difficult thing to make sense of, the cheerleader found. It started off as simply sitting beside one another in English class, and soon after, despite having little in common, blossomed into sometimes hitting the club between studies.

Plus, Tiffany couldn't bring herself to forget how something crazy usually happened whenever she hung out with Audrey. Yet, despite all that, she still called her a friend. After all, some people were misunderstood, right?

"I've been busy lately." The blonde chose her words cautiously as to not draw her red-haired companion into a full blown rant, "Anyway… where have YOU been, Audrey? Professor Martin told me last week if you don't have your assignment done by next Friday he's kicking you out!"

"It's totally… half done. Chill! Anyway," Audrey continued loudly as she grabbed Tiffany by the hand. "Let's blow this shithole. I'm getting tired of people staring at me."

* * *

"Wow! Slow down!" A squeal of surprise of came free from the girl with pigtails as the party girl dragged her clean out of the store. Outside, the cool night air greeted the duo as it wisped through the trees in the parking lot. Audrey kept on hauling her comrade along with little regard for the light squirms of protest she gave.

"Audrey… What's gotten into you?" Not that seeing the redhead so forceful was anything out of the ordinary. When Tiffany was finally free from her classmate's grap her eyes fell upon a little bus shelter with an old wooden bench and a pair of flickering blue vending machines inside. Thankfully, it was empty of other people for the moment. "Are you hoping to catch a bus or something?"

"You're good with this 'feelings' shit, right Tiffany?" The frustration in Audrey's voice came across with daunting intensity as she flopped on the bench like a ruby paperweight, completely ignoring Tiffany's previous question. "Sit down. I'll get you a soda."

"Is everything okay?" The blonde asked while parking her rounded little behind on the bench: a raised brow came in questioning as she watched her classmate hop back to her feet wander off to one of the drink dispensers. This whole thing was very unusual. Audrey never really spoke about her personal feelings outright at all. Well, nothing beyond the usual bitching, anyway.

A couple of coins and an equal number of button presses later, Audrey came back to sit down again with a pair of icy cool colas. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." Tiffany cracked open the can and took a dainty little sip. "So… what the heck has been going on with you these past few weeks?"

"There's this guy," replied Audrey with the grumpy and rhythmic tapping of the index finger against the side of her drink.

Tiffany could feel instantaneous dread building up inside. After all, the rumours about Audrey being rather free with her affections were numerous around campus. "You've been missing all your classes over someone you met at a party?"

It was her first guess, and one the young lady thought was likely the most accurate.

However, Audrey let out a little snarl of anger and shook her head in violent protest. "No…. It's not like that, and that's what's pissing me off!"

"You remember that guy I told you I talked to a couple of months back?" The redhead stealthily slipped the brown paper package from the pharmacy out of her purse and peeled off the sticker-like seal.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific," came Tiffany in swift response as she tilted her head a little in curiousity, "You meet a lot of guys, Audrey."

"The guy I met in Lusties a while back... when the stupid manager changed the music!"

"That one? I thought you said it wasn't anything serious." Tiffany had a memory of the brief discussion at best. After all, this random flame seemed at a glance to receive the same treatment as all the others before. In other words, he was brought up in casual conversation twice and never discussed again. Audrey never even mentioned his name; she didin't show a picture either.

"I didn't want serious, but yeah, him. I guess it was his sexy green eyes." Audrey's reply was very quick as she produced a little box from the bag she held.

At a brief glance, Tiffany caught sight of the word 'contraceptive' written on the side. She sighed mentally in disappointment. Did the redhead use protection at all? "You need to be way more careful. Seriously Audrey… you're playing with fire."

"Hey… don't judge me, virgin." The crimson vixen bit back hard. She followed up by muttering something extremely impolite, before swallowing the lone pill with a 'gulp'. Content, she washed it down her throat with a mouthful of drink.

An intoxicating silence followed Audrey's defensive bark. For the longest time nothing more than nervous glances were passed back and forth between the two women. This seemingly timed ritual repeated every few seconds. Tiffany even found herself counting the expired fractions of time in her head. Eventually, the blonde looked down to her lap, "I shouldn't have said anything." Looking back up, she eyed Audrey with her soft and considerate blue orbs in apology. "Take care of yourself. I'm only trying to look out for you. What happens if you get preg-"

"Don't... just... don't." Audrey looked away nervously. Just the thought of Tiffany saying _that_ word caused her to feel uneasy.

Tiffany felt a faint sting in her heart. Watching the young redhead beside her swallowing the 'pill' brought back memories of Jessie. How many countless times had she seen her mother swallowing pills just like it when she got home from work? A younger eight-year-old Tiffany couldn't understand it at first. However, by the time Junior High rolled around the words 'contraceptive pill' were ones she understood _very_ clearly from health class.

"Ha," the bitter chuckle Audrey gave was enough to make her feel a slight chill scuttle down her spine.

"I don't just let guys do it _inside_ me for fucking fun." This confession from Miss Belrose seemed to come out both incredibly dry and factual. There was little emotion behind it apart from the smallest ember of anger. "This one though… he's pretty nice. I guess… I wanted to _feel_ him."

This was a side of the self-proclaimed 'party girl' that Tiffany had never seen before. It was true then, everybody did have a soft side after all. She felt a tiny smile curve her lips at the sight of the red flush overtaking Audrey's cheeks, "How cute! Look at your cheeks! Audrey... are you IN LOVE?"

This surprising revelation was more than enough to lift her mood from the darker thoughts of her mother with ease.

Instead of a straight answer, Audrey shot up from the bench and turned her back. There she stood, arms folded, her concealed face looking somewhere between a grouchy frown and the bratty pout of a child without their toy. "This whole thing is driving me fucking nuts! I want to forget him… I really do… but I just can't! Every time I try to push him away I end up getting closer! Makes me SO ANGRY!"

"Yep," Tiffany nodded with a happy smile and stood with arms folded playfully behind her back. "That sounds like a classic case of love sickness to me."

"Makes my blood burn." Audrey spun around on her heels and gave a disapproving glare in an attempt to silence the cheerleader. However, she quickly found herself on an even more frustrating retreat when it didn't work. Defeated, she finally sat back down with a frustrated growl.

"He's in a band, alright? Fuck me, you romantic types and your stupid cutesy crap!" Audrey slid one of her pale hands into the confines of her bag and dug around the longest time. "Where did I put the damn thing?"

Tiffany felt the excitement welling up inside her. She giggled cheerfully before a wide grin crept upon her soft pastel lips. "Really? That's so cool! The guy I'm seeing right now… he's a musician too! You should hear him sing! His voice… oh wow… it is so charming... so smooth. When he calls my name I just wanna throw my arms around him and SQUEEZE him tight!"

"Ewww gawwwd! Like, gross! Stop with the sugary sweet bullshit! You're gonna like, make me hurl." Audrey pulled a battered silver phone from her bag's side pocket. "You wanna see a picture of him? I finally took a decent one last night."

"Awesome," chimed the cheerleader in blissful anticipation. She could only imagine what kind of guy was good enough to win over Audrey's affections. After all, it was common knowledge that those brave enough to try were usually destroyed by her razor tongue. Those who survived it didn't usually get beyond the offering of a glorified night in the sack.

"Here," Audrey punched a few buttons on the keypad until the image she was looking for popped up on screen. She nonchalantly passed her phone across with little care and gave a tiny little smirk. "His name's Mikey. Yeah, he looks a little scruffy in that blurry ass picture, but… he ain't so bad."

Tiffany saw the image in its full splendor. Everything became different in a mere moment: her smile like sunshine fell away is if it had never existed. She felt it deep inside, her heart slowly cracking to pieces as if somebody just stepped on it: every shred of happiness slowly crumbled apart as if it were a distant dream. Her ocean-blue eyes pooled with water as they took in the sight of a man she knew. A toned blond lay sleeping in what she could only assume was Audrey's bed.

"No way… this can't be what it looks…. Why would he-" Tiffany choked. Her cascading emotions were starting to spill out in the form of tears. They trickled softly at first, but very quickly became a little stream. Her heart hurt so much. Unable to cope with the sight of Mike's image, she tossed the phone back into Audrey's lap and stood shakily.

"Is he single? Did he tell you if he was dating someone?" The words stiffened as Tiffany felt them leave her throat. Just speaking right now was making her feel sick.

"Sorta," Audrey smiled coolly while she threw her arms behind her back in one of her typical 'bad girl' gestures. "He's dating some _skank_ right now... don't remember the name. It doesn't matter... cuz I got that boy right where I want him." A smug little chuckle erupted from the redhead. "He's gonna ditch her hoe ass because he wants me so bad!"

"He wouldn't do that to me..." Sapphire marbles stirred downward at greyed concrete. Ironic indeed that the color of the ground was a perfect mirror to the landscape of Tiffany's heart right now. Every single beat brought a searing pain throughout the rest of her shuddering body. A frail sob choked out in a second cascade of raging torment. "Mikey... this can't be what it looks like" She whispered while her back remained turned.

"What the fuck?" Audrey jumped up defensively: she bore expression most indignant upon her white; doll-like features. "Did I do something to piss on your parade? What's wrong with you? Come on… Tiffany! Why the hell are you crying?"

"I… I have to go. I have somewhere I need to be right now!" The only thing Tiffany factored into her mind right now was running. She had to get away from here. Her legs needed to carry her far away from the girl with the ruby hair. Therefore, she did not even care to think. She simply ran off into the darkness.

The expanse of her mind could only focus on one thing right now, or more specifically, one person, "Mikey… I need to see you. I need to know the _truth._ "

HER Mikey would never be so cruel to her, would he? No of course not… The Mike she met in the football field that day was kind and gentle…. Her fragile emotions in utter distress, the loving blonde still clung to the tiny; shattered, fragments of belief.

Meanwhile, Audrey was left alone and in utter confusion. "Just what the fuck was that-"

A faint memory from a few days before. She had supressed it for the most part. It was easy for the redhead to forget the finer details when she drank, smoked; and partied so damn much. However, a sudden flashback caused the girl's eyes to widen in utter shock. It was a faint picture wrapped in a shrouded haze. Mike stood there in his usual denim attire. He walked out of Lusties holding a cell phone against his right ear.

'… _If you need to talk Tiffany, I'm all ears. I think I know the coffee shop you're talking about too, so I'll head that way. See you soon.'_

Audrey reeled as the weight of reality hit her with the force of a car. The response she gave to that very phone call was returning to her as well, "So… asshole. You mind telling me who the crap _Tiffany_ is? Oh… shit! How did I not figure it out?"

The pieces of the puzzle were all fitting together neatly at last. She sprang up from her seat and looked off in the direction, which Tiffany ran. "I thought he was seeing some random bitch. Tiffany… _TIFFANY MAYE_."

Audrey was stuck between frowning and smiling. A friend of hers was in an awful lot of pain. Yet there was also a dark form of glee buried in the deepest pits of her heart. She threw her red locks back and gazed to the sky with a most glassy look of triumph.

"Tiffany motherfucking Maye…. He has the girl with the good grades, the blue eyes; and the tight ass..."

_'I fucking love you, you stupid bitch.'_

Mike's words from the night before still spun around in a circle within Audrey's head. She looked to the sky, her feelings being a little chaotic at best now that everything made sense. "You're wanna throw away Little Miss Perfect, because you love ME?"

* * *

Mikey skittishly made his way down the street. His green gaze had the coffee shop locked firmly in his sights. With every passing footstep, he felt the pace of his heartbeat getting faster and faster. "Nutmeg. Here it is…. Now or ne-"

"Tiffany?" His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the very girl he was here to see. She stood beside the doorway with her head held low. She didn't look up, and she didn't speak in the slightest when he approached.

The musician reached out to place a hand upon her shoulder, only to get it batted away with an uncharacteristic amount of malice from the cheerleader.

"Did you do it?" She asked her question with hollow optimism. Yet, deep down she wanted to believe that the whole thing was just a terrible misunderstanding.

He adjusted the jacket of his usual denim attire before taking the slightest step back. "Tiff… what's up? I'm sure if you talk to me I can help you figure things-"

Tiffany lifted her head, effectively bringing her tearful eyes of blue to bare. The gaze she gave to Mike was both piercing and pleading desperately. This whole ordeal was tearing her apart. "….Please…. tell me you didn't do it. Tell me you didn't have sex with Audrey…"

A whiteness as pale as death washed over the expanse of Mike's entire face. He stood there, speechless, his heart thumping so heavily that it made his head spin. Complete dizziness set in quickly, followed by a slight feeling of sickness as he found himself struggling to make any sort of response. In the end he could do nothing but stare in disbelief at his girlfriend's weeping eyes for many a moment.

"….How did you- You know Audrey? Audrey Belrose?" He found himself in disbelief. In an instant, his worst fears seemed to be unfolding right before his eyes. His relationship with the redhead was finally out in the open.

There was no way to sidestep this. The last thing Mike felt he should do was lie. "It's true... We... were together just before I met you... We drifted apart. I thought she was gone for good... but she came back... a few days ago."

The cheerleader's face sank into a painful scowl. Unable to contain the feelings welling up inside, she finally burst. "How could you keep this from me?!"

"Oh my god…" Tiffany fell into a further deluge of pained sobbing. The remnants of her fractured heart finally shattered like glass. "I don't know what's worse... Your two-timing, or that you didn't tell me the truth."

"HOW COULD YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS? I trusted you…. Mike… you're an asshole. She's my friend... I didn't think _you_ of all people could be so... awful..."

Memories of the time she shared with Mike over the past couple of months flooded her mind. The movies they went see together, the way she felt so happy when he turned up to cheer rally the other week, and most of all, the amazing sparks of warmth she felt whenever they kissed. All of these feelings combined, they weren't happy anymore. In fact, it made her feel disgusting. "I feel so used... You've been lying to me all this time... haven't you?"

Mike lowered his head, bowing away like a defeated boxer from a ring. True, he was supposed to be breaking up with her tonight. Still, it wasn't supposed to go like this. He didn't want her to find out in such a way so hurtful. Silently, he stepped forward with an outstretched hand, "I've hu-

Unable to contain herself any longer, Tiffany lunged, her actions motivated by innermost suffering.

_CRACK!_

Mikey took a bewildered step back and found the side of his face burning. The sensation held the shape of a deep red hand imprint upon his left cheek. He simply could not believe it at first. The whole scenario ran through his mind a couple of times before it made sense.

"…I deserve that. I do." He spoke in quiet admission. There was no sense being a coward and turning away from this.

Tiffany moved to strike again in a teary rage. "Aren't I good enough for you?" she cried out painfully in tow with her raised hand.

_CRACK!_

Mikey took the second blow with dignity while standing still. It hurt like crazy, but he would never hit a woman back. "You haven't done anything wrong. It's me. I shouldn't ha-

"Please, please stop it... I don't want to hear anymore." Tiffany shoved Mike back with all of her strength and clutched her pained heart tightly.

Finally sated, the blonde lady dried some of her falling tears as best she could. It still hurt so much. The struggle she felt to piece her composure together was very real, "Don't touch me…. Don't call me…. Don't come near me…. Please just… go away. I thought you cared about me... I guess I was wrong..."

There was no coming back from this. Mikey knew it in his head and gave an understanding nod. He simply turned his back, and slowly started to walk in the other direction. His gaze fixated upon his footsteps as he went, placed a hand upon his heart. "I was an idiot... trying to fool myself into thinking I wouldn't end up hurting somebody. It couldn't end any other way..." His whispered words served as all the conformation he needed for this situation. He and Tiffany Maye, they were finished.

Meanwhile, the cheerleader watched with her puffy red eyes as the man she thought she knew reluctantly turned the corner and left. "I was going to let you into my life… into my heart... Mikey… I was starting to love you…."

**To be continued….**


	5. Redhead - Part V

A session was finally looming for the band after a couple of weeks without playing. Things finally seemed to be going well for them again since their change back to a more Rock focused style of playing. With that in mind, the trio were ready to grab the momentum and run with it. In addition, their lead singer desperately needed to switch off from what happened with Tiffany. A few days of quiet reflection in his apartment had done very little to make him feel any better.

A desolate parking lot sat in near silence as the last rays of sun went down. Very few vehicles filled any of the spaces, save for a grey convertible and a handful of family roadster style cars. Most people were already heading home for the night. Even the younger crowd were nowhere to be seen on this uneventful weeknight at the end of Autumn.

The screech of tires tore through the gentle veil of quiet with impunity, while an engine roared in accompaniment to the most ear-splitting sound. A yellow cabby came screaming to a badly parked halt halfway across the parking lot, its engine finally settling to a much lighter volume. One of the doors swung open, and out into the night, stepped a young man with peroxide blond hair.

"Keep the change," He spoke with a smile as he tossed a scrunched up handful of bills onto the back seat.

For a couple of moments there was a strange quiet, at least until a man stuck his head out of the driver side window. His Pasty skin and badly dreadlocked black hair seemed to mingle with crooked shades and a Rastafarian hat he wore almost too well. "Tubular dude! I'll see you at the club on Saturday, Mikey man!"

Mike gave a small smile in response to the driver. While his expression was happy, his thoughts were those of wonderment. He kept on thinking about how this guy in front kept his licence. "Be sure to get yourself a ticket, Jake. The manager at Lusties said there's only a couple left."

"Woowwwwwww…. Damn! That's like, totally not cool bruh! I'll go and like, head there right now! Catch ya later!" Just as quickly as the arrival, Mikey watched in quiet terror as his regular cabby slammed a cassette into the player and went on a painfully loud exit with blasting speakers and squealing tires.

"How the hell did he end up getting a car?" It was a thought that played on Mike's mind often, especially since Jake picked him up a lot.

With his eyes back on the prize, the mucisian turned around and started walking. A massive building of glass and metal stood towering in all of its splendour. Large double doors hung wide open to welcome people from the outside, while several brightly lit signposts gave directions. The sight of the giant complex made Mike feel invigorated.

"The shopping mall. It's been a little while since I last came out this way."

Taking the Huniebee from his pocket, Mikey poked at the screen to turn it on. For once, he found himself smiling at the clock readout on the phone. "Alright, I'm on time for the practice session. It's almost Nine."

* * *

Stepping inside felt much the same as stepping into a new world. This place was so huge that even when lacking in patrons it looked fairly lively. Marble floors spread out across the entire length of the mall, while retail stores branched out as far as the eyes could see. Clothing stores, sports stores, coffee shops and an internet café. The entire left strip still hummed with some activity as a few late night shoppers went about their bargain hunting.

Mike cast his eyes toward the stores on the right side strip. He frowned slightly. The majority of these shops, novelty stores, craft stores and the like, were closed with the shutters down."Chain stores forcing them out of business."

Regardless, he pushed forward, his feet tapping softly in combination with the light conversations of other patrons to create a slightly louder ambient noise. Upon reaching the shiny metallic staircase, he glanced upward and swiftly made his way to the second floor.

His arrival on the next level placed him just a short walk away from a couple more establishments. Just thirty seconds off to the left stood the cinema. Illuminated with a strip of neon above the entrance archway, a couple of people stood by idly chatting with tickets in their hands. One of them leaned up against the 'Now showing' billboard with a soda cup loosely clutched in his other hand.

"The new Metal Dude movie is totally shit. Did they really think a spin off was a good idea?"

His blue shirt wearing counterpart shook his head with a frown of disgust. "Mass produced giant robots? What is it now, one of those 'Anime' shows?"

Mikey felt himself losing interest in eavesdropping. He liked the new movie, and such blatant attacking of the story points served to make his mood sour a tiny bit. With a sigh of response, he looked away from the two moviegoers and started walking to the right instead.

"The movie wasn't that bad." Sadly, his mind couldn't help but recall the person he went to see it with. "Tiffany."

A stern shake of the head followed that line of thought. "I need to let it go..."

Just thinking about her right now killed the mood a little more. Thankfully, the sight of an all too familiar establishment caused the young man to smile. He was finally here. "Luis' Bar. Home away from home."

The large glass windows and the flickering red 'Open' sign felt like something of a comfort. This was one of Mike's favorite places to unwind, especially when a gig with the band sat just around the corner. Anticipation building, the blond reached out and gave the door a slight tug.

* * *

Simply walking inside the quaint drinking establishment gave a feeling of calm and relaxation. Feeling much better now, Mike looked around and eyed the surroundings. A dozen small wooden tables sat dotted around the room, two in each of the bottom corners beside the windows, and several more sat beside the staircase leading to the second floor. Faint candles sat on the tables, their flames dancing softly to provide a little additional light. Along with the calming sights, a faint scent of fruity wine hung in the air.

"There you are! Head upstairs Mike, the rest of the boys are waiting for you." A suave Italian accent served as a wakeup call to snap the vocalist out of his musings. He looked off in the direction of the long, polished bar with its several comfortable looking stools.

Sat down on one of them, was a gentleman with silvery hair. He wore smart but casual attire, while the distinctive features of his face caused him to stand out further, being both majestic and slightly wrinkled with age. The aura he gave off was warm and welcoming, almost like a father. Just being in his presence like this was enough to give the blond a happy smile. It stuck on his face as he walked a little further into the establishment and took up a seat next to the older man.

"Nice to see you, Luis. Hope business has been good to you." While he spoke, Mike popped the top button on his shirt and let out a relieved little gasp. It was warm in here.

"It's been great," replied the owner as he stood from his seat and went behind the bar. Mikey watched intently as he reached up to the top shelf liquor with one of his slightly creased hands. He brought down a bottle filled with an orangey-golden tint. "Give your uncle my best wishes, won't you?"

"Of course I will!" The younger man replied to his elder with politeness as he took the shiny metallic Huniebee from the confines of his pocket. No new messages. He mulled over recent events for a moment. Audrey hadn't called since since leaving her apartment a days back, and Tiffany? He frowned. It was clear as daylight how she felt about all of this.

With a sigh, Mike shook those thoughts from his head. He was greeted by a sound he knew well, that of a glass gliding across the table. Not wanting it to fall off the edge, he reached out and caught it swiftly. A slight twinge of surprise came as he laid eyes upon the size of the drink. "Is this for me, Luis?"

"On the house. A little something to say thank you! You bring your friends in here all the time. They spend money on drinks and I get to listen to you practice your songs."

Luis gave a 'thumbs up' gesture in further confirmation. "Enjoy your drink. Oh, and give me a moment. I forgot to flip the sign at the door." With the last member of Third Betrayal here to rehearse, it was time to close for a couple of hours.

Giving an amused smirk, Mike stood from the bar. Glass in hand, he made his way across to the little staircase. His ascent was slow at first, especially as he spent a moment watching Luis hurry for the door.

* * *

At the top of the stairs, the lead singer gave a little salute in the form of holding up his drink, at least before he downed it. The burn was intense, the good kind of sensation that came from a high quality liquor. "Looks like you're all having fun getting shit ready."

Everybody involved directly with the band was already here. They stood at the far side of the room, being a good distance away from the crowded tables and chairs that were stacked up beside the staircase. This first floor area acted as storage for the bar, and it was also the place in which the band practiced when there wasn't enough time to hire the studio across down.

The two identical twins stood side by side with their guitars in hand. Perhaps more unnerving was their clothing, completely identical down to the long, black, AB-DC T-shirts they wore; the ripped cargo pants and the grubby army boots. One of them turned to the other, his long dark hair swaying as he did so, and then looked back to Mike in welcome.

"There you are! We've been waiting for you."

"There you are! We've been waiting for you."

The way two sibling guitarists could speak in perfect unison most of the time was a little freaky. "Hey Neil, hey Steve. We ready to go?"

A nod came from both of the brothers before they went back to checking over their instruments.

"Everything is just about set up." From behind the twins came an exceedingly tall man, his muscular body clad in a vest and leather pants. His gruff and manly features betrayed the sincerity of his oceanic blue eyes. Both cool and collected, he ran a slick hand through his spiked, chocolate brown hair and moved to stand beside Mike. He radiated a feeling of strength, pride, and power.

Just standing beside him was enough to make the people feel invigorated and ready to sing. "Hey Markus," Mikey greeted his friend. "Sorry if I called you out on short notice."

Looking around the room of friendly faces, Mike took a moment to recall the start of his friendship with everyone. He met Markus, Neil, and Steve, in community college a few years back. Having become best friends while there, the three musicians pooled all of their savings together to follow their dreams of creating music, all while Mark managed the money and shows for them.

Finally, the lead singer turned his gaze toward the last member of their little group, Jamie. The butch, chunky man in the corner with greasy hair and a scruffy beard. Dark tattoos in the shape of snakes, reptiles and other animals lay scrawled across his tree-like arms as he plugged things into the wall sockets. A college dropout with heart, the twins offered him a job in the band after being thrown out for fighting with a classmate over his stolen saxophone.

All five of them lived in this lively little town now. They were Third Betrayal, a modern rock band with strong nineties influence.

"It's fine brother, its fine." Markus gave a suave chuckle and pulled his phone for a second. The sound of his voice was enough to snap bring Mike back from the depths of his thoughts. He hadn't checked out for more than a couple of seconds, it seemed.

Finished looking his phone over, he gave Mike a pat on the back to liven him up. It was crazy to him how he always seemed to space out. "I wouldn't be much of a manager if I didn't watch you three play. Besides, I want to hear this new song you put together."

A thump in Mike's chest served as a reminder of the sentiment attached to the lyrics. "We started writing it a while back, but we ditched it. Shit happened a few days ago... and I asked Neil and Steve if we could try it again."

The tone in his friend's voice was enough. Markus could hazard a guess at the situation from the tense way in which Mike spoke. "You still having a hard time with that redhead?"

Despite all of the negative emotion he felt, Mike it pushed as far down as possible and looked back to Markus with a determined smile. "Don't worry about it." A flare of smooth confidence came through in his voice. Hiding his feelings behind closed doors was something of a strong point.

Besides, now was not the time to dwell on his relationship problems. It was time for music, the thing that made him feel alive above all else.

Jamie got up from his little corner of cables and gave a wave with one of his chunky hands. "Everything's set up! We're good to go!"

Now was the decisive moment. Markus grabbed one of the dusty chairs and took up a seat. "This should be good."

Meanwhile, the trio of musicians got into their stage places, Neil and Steve taking up their positions slightly behind Mike.

Jamie got into position behind the laptop connected to the soundsystem. With a few clicks, the backing track slowly came to life. "Three… two… one… here we go."

A quiet drumbeat slowly pulsated. Both on que, the twins began playing their opening pieces, Steve following Neil on the bass with focus and precision. Combined with the soft chimes of a piano from the backing track, the melody resembled something of a rock-infused romance ballad. The melancholic sounds combined with such lethargic beating of drums fused effortlessly into a vibe of _love lost_ and shattered dreams.

Markus kept on watching, his brow raised slightly in fascination. He had never heard the group play something like this before. Most interestingly, Mike had not spoken a word yet, either. He stood at the front with the microphone in hand, his expression showing crystal clear that he was psyching himself up to sing.

The piano faded out seamlessly in conjunction with the guitars of the twins slowing down. The sound of the song dropped full force into tragic musings. Prepared, Mike took a step forward and held the mic tightly.

"I gave you my heart… on the wings of broken promises. I would say that I'm sorry, but it doesn't matter…. No it doesn't matter any-more."

Neil stepped up beside Mike with his headset. "I gave you my life, and I gave you my world. But now I find it hard to breathe." The softer voice of the dark-haired twin rang out in unison with the strings of his brother's guitar.

Slowly, beat by beat, the song fell onto even harsher vibes and dark colors. The gentle, simple yet powerful cries of a violin slid into the background track. This arrangement of instruments swam in a deep musical harmony as all three of the performers fell into perfect sync.

Markus saw the look Mike held, pained and struggling. Every word of this song, it must have meant an awful lot to him. With that thought close to heart, the manager kept on watching intently as the singer looked ready for another verse.

"You make me shine inside, and I can't live without you…. You're my light; yeah… you're my world." Mike's expression twisted. Just saying these words, especially considering who they were aimed at, it hurt a lot.

The trio kept it tight and in time. Mark looked on in quiet awe of the passion the three musicians held in the song. Every moment of the was a musical story slowly transformed into a tale of hurt, confusion, and feelings of love eternal.

In one final flourish, Mikey held the Microphone with quivering hands. Tears started to trickle from his eyes. "I need you... but you hurt me…. You're the star in my sky, but you burn me…. Yes… You're my crimson angel, but you kill me! But honey… please don't leave me…."

Finally, the song faded away in a single lonely flourish. Mark stood from his chair with a thunderous clap of support, "Very good! If you play that at Lusties on Saturday, you're going to nail it."

* * *

Midnight already loomed by the time the band finished their practice. A certain lead singer walked quietly through the empty shopping mall as it was almost time to close. His head held low, he pondered the extent of his feelings with a deep and thoughtful expression.

In his right hand he held the Huniebee. This phone was special; it was something Kyu gave him when she first arrived.

"Kyu…" His lone word bounced off the walls of the vast shopping complex. All the while, his thoughts seemed to zip back to pink hair and a cheerful smile. There was far too much irony to this. Mikey felt a scowl curve his lips. In just a few days of the energetic love fairy not being there, things had almost starting going backwards.

The cold night air blew against Mike's face as he stepped outside. The radiance of a full moon beamed down with an exhilarating pale light. Such a sight, the sheer beauty of it set his heart to racing. Red strands and pink curls, an alluring laugh and a playful scoff of annoyance. Two very different women stood at the forefront of the young man's attention

Burning crimson hair, frilly dresses and a sharp tongue. "Audrey Belrose…. As crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't change her."

The most recent night he spent with her was something very special indeed. It was not just sex. No, it was passion and romance, rolled into a cascading ball of fire and left to burn slow embers of warmth.

"I love her... and I'm not going to give up on her. No matter how hard it might be on me." The way she held him, Mike honestly believed it was testament to the truth of her feelings. When they laid in bed, Audrey held him so warmly and lovingly. Such an embrace was not just a thing of passing obsession. Well, not in his own heart, anyway.

Then, there was the other. His fairy, his guardian, and his trusted companion. A tiny chuckle escaped from Mike as his sleepy gaze transfixed upon the full extent of the lunar light. "Kyu's been my guide this whole time. She dragged my ass up from my failures. She's weird… and she's a flirt…."

Hand on heart; he gave a confident smile to the true extent of his feelings. "That strange fairy, she's very dear to me. More than that… she's my best friend."

Exhausted from such a busy evening, Mike let out a quiet yawn. The sight of his taxi pulling into view a short walk across the parking lot was something extremely comforting right about now.

"Damn… I need to get some sleep."

By the time Mike reached the cab, he practically fell into it. It was time to head home.

* * *

Finally, within the comforting embrace of his own apartment at long last, Mikey stared up at his bedroom ceiling. It had truly become a force of habit at this point. Having a familiar ceiling to look at before he went to sleep ready did help him rest easy at night.

"Time for-"

The turning of keys in the lock echoed throughout the expanse of the apartment. Somebody was trying to get inside. Mike found himself able to breathe a sigh of relief once his brain connected the dots. Only one other person had a key to get in.

"Mikeeeeeyyy! I'm back! Yo! Dude! Did you order a fairy?"

_BANG!_

Just as quickly as the door squeaked open, it came crashing shut with an ear wrenching slam. This loud and brutal destruction of the peaceful environment within the apartment came in tow with the gentle buzzing of a pair of wings.

"Kyu," Mike chuckled softly. A glow of warmth filled him at the thought of her return. He simply sat upright, pulled off his covers and trudged with groggy footsteps into the living room.

"Good to see you. I'm trying to-"

A slightly pained grunt slipped free from Mike as something struck him with the force of a missile. The power of gravity no longer on his side, he found his body flying backward. Both too tired and too caught off guard to concentrate properly, his senses did not return until he was greeted by the soft sensation of the bed beneath his back.

Eyes open once more, he looked up to find Kyu laying atop of him with a beaming smile of warmth and cheerfulness. "Best vacation… EVER! I should have taken you! You would love Sky Garden!"

Still grinning like an idiot, Kyu took the chance to enjoy the closeness she had managed to obtain. That said, the fairy nestled as close to the toned and shirtless Mike as she possibly could, a contented little flush on her face. "I missed you, hot stuff."

Mike felt honestly taken aback. His mind still more focused upon the fact that Kyu was back from her trip than anything else. He failed to register the lack of clothing he wore. Nothing but a pair of shorts to concealed his modesty.

"Good to see you too," Mikey followed up with a sleepy yawn as he subconsciously eased a little further into Kyu's grasp. "Shit has been a little crazy since you left."

The fairy rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, her cheerful reunion with her client being far more important to her right now than the actual work she was supposed to be doing. With a smile, the magenta haired fairy loosed her grasp on Mike.

Once she saw him sat upright, Kyu positioned herself directly at his side. She wanted to enjoy the chance to be near him like this. Her thoughts drifted to the redhead that Mikey seemed to be endlessly chasing right now. If he did actually win the girl over, then her job as his love fairy would be finished.

Not wanting to think about it too much right now, Miss Sugardust grinned wickedly. She had the perfect idea to get Mike a little hot under the collar. "So," her voice chimed seductively, "You like the picture I gave you?"

"Damn. I left that on the fridge." Mikey felt a slight warmth overtake his cheeks in realization of his mistake. His photographic memory flashed back to the picture of Kyu in that delicious swimsuit. Her curves and all of the finer details of her slender body.

Though subconscious, his heart started to race the slightest bit in response to his thinking about the image.

Kyu chuckled with glee. Oh, how victory was sweet for her. Her eyes honed in on the finer detail of Mike's face, and her lips curved into a cruel smirk. "Judging by that look of yours... I'd say you think I'm pretty damn hot."

The playful magical woman slinked forward a couple of inches, her face moving closer and closer with each passing moment. Mike was dense, but even if she could not have him all to herself, Kyu was going to have fun with him before she had to let him go. Now mere inches away from the handsome object of her desires, she slowly slid her arms around Mike's waist and held him there, unwilling to let him leave her embrace.

"So tell me." She started with something akin to a naughty giggle following in tow. Using her weight, she softly nudged the well-toned man in her grip against the wall behind, causing a slight bump as she did so. "Did you miss me?"

His mind ablaze, the musician could not quite fathom how he had got into this situation. Regardless, his escalated heartbeat, the darkened room, and Kyu's light breathing against his neck, all of these factors lulled him into a sense of calm. Trusting his fairy guide, he gave a gentle nod and closed his eyes.

"Of course I did. It's felt lonely without you around."

"Bingo! That's the right answer!" Smiling with deadly womanly intent, Kyu let out a little giggle. "I have something for you... something I've wanted to give you for a while."

"What is it?" Mikey opened his eyes in slight confusion as he pondered.

"Hehe! You're about to find out..." That said, Kyu moved in to bridge the gap. She took careful care to close in no farther than a half inch every few seconds. Closer and closer she came. Leaning in finally, she lightly brushed her lips against those of her client.

She loved every second of this, the power she held over her human friend, especially since she knew just how much he cared for her. Even though she promised herself she wouldn't act upon her feelings, her time away in Sky Garden changed her mind. It was the wrong thing to do, and Kyu felt it too, but it wasn't going to stop her.

Finally surrendering to her desires, the fairy slapped her moist lips against those of Mikey.

She treasured every moment, the intimacy of it, the warmth, and the taste of Mike's lips entwined with her own. She leaned in deeper, a gentle but playful moan slipping free as felt her senses tingle. The pace of Kyu's heartbeat became that off a flutter as she felt Mike's grip on her tighten was urgency. To finally play around with him and not hold back _felt so good_.

Though he was surprised at first, Mike found his mind flashing back to the first kiss they shared. While a tiny pang of guit twinged like ice in his chest, he did not refuse the advance from his fairy in any way.

When they finally parted, Kyu looked at Mike with lustful pleasure burning in her eyes. His face was drenched in sweat, his gasps laboured. In her many years as a love fairy, she had not seen a guy get so worked up firsthand. It was beautiful thing, the sight of a human guy pushed to the end of his lustful restraint. Smirking seductively, she placed a hand upon his cheek. "I know I've lost you to Red…." A low and slightly pained admission of the truth.

"But before I let you go… I wanna get _closer_ to you….."

In but a mere moment the weight of the truth came crashing through like a tank. Clarity painted a picture for Mike that he was blind to before this night. Finally, all of Kyu's advances and her flirty comments, they all made sense. "Well shit... you want _me_..."

Kyu nodded with a little chuckle, "Took you long enough to work it out..."

However, as the sensual seconds slipped by, Mikey felt images of burning red hair and delicate snowy skin entering his thoughts. "...I made a promise to Audrey... Kyu... maybe we shouldn't..."

"Shhh," Kyu placed her finger upon the lips of the man beneath her. Slowly, she brought her hands up and caressed Mike's chest with the tips of her fingers. "I know you want to... I see it in your eyes. I felt it the first time I kissed you, too..."

Stunned silence overtook the young man as his mind raced a thousand miles a minute. His heart and his body were saying two very different things. "...Would be a total lie if I said you weren't important to me..." Friendship and lust, being placed in this situation was starting to make the lines blur.

One of Kyu's gentle hands slowly began to slide downward until it lightly touched against the powerful manly pride hidden away behind Mike's underwear. A powerful twitch from the delicate region caused Kyu to look downward and observe...

Through blurry eyes of arousal Mike could see the very naughty look the girl with pink hair had across her face.

Slowly caressing with her hand, Kyu smiled with approval."Shit... I totally called it." Her client was certainly _well equipped_ for an active love life, to say the least.

Mike's entire body shuddered under the feeling of being touched. Another moment of choice was coming ever closer. Atop of him, was sprawled his dearest female friend. Only one question remained at this point. Where would things go from here?

**To be continued….**


	6. Redhead – Part VI

Everything was happening extremely fast. In fact, the pace of this encounter was so swift for Mike that he could barely register everything amidst the warmth and intensify he felt. Kyu, half-naked at this point, sensually straddled him. The only thing he took note of in the heat of this lustful inferno was the sight of her curly candyfloss hair as it spilled across his chest.

Every small but erotic kiss the fairy placed upon his lower chest and stomach tingled icy hot. Slowly, these kisses seemed to be getting lower and lower, at least until they stopped just above the waistline of his tight fitting shorts.

"I think it's about time we took these off… big boy. Hehe… don't be shy….." Kyu gently took hold of Mike's last remaining piece of protective clothing and gently tugged at it. In a single swift movement, the shorts came down to expose a most regal sight indeed. Mike's crown jewels stood proud in all of their manly glory.

A grin most dirty curved Kyu's lips as she delicately stroked the underside of the mighty tree. "Well... holy…fucking….shit. Dude! You put fairy guys to shame with a gearstick like this!"

Mike could feel his entire body quiver under the weight of his most special place being touched like this. It was almost as if Kyu's hands gave off a natural warmth all of their own. As the supple digits of her left hand came downward for another pass his body writhed with passionate fire.

The blond man's eyes burned with a desire so hot that for the slightest moment they could have turned a shade of crimson. "Dammit… Kyu," he rasped out between ragged sighs of breath, "….Your hands…. What the hell?"

"Fairy magic, bro!" Kyu clapped her hands and rubbed them together quickly. A powerful orange glow radiated in the darkness that took the shape of her palms. "Pretty good, huh?" With another playful chuckle, she cupped her client softly and started to work her hand up and down in a rhythmic motion.

"Oooohhh shit…." Mike threw his head back as a loud groan of approval slipped free from his lips. With every movement Kyu made he could feel his entire being pulsing in a mighty sea of bliss to soothe those hungry flames of wanting. He was a surfer riding a wave that he did not want to end.

"Wow… Mike… the look on your face is so totally filthy right now." It was exactly what she wanted to see as well. Pleased with the response she was getting so far, Kyu decided to quicken the pace of her movements. She was not going to stop until she got something _extra special_ for her efforts.

Mikey squirmed with every single passing moment of this all too blissful torment. His brain felt as if it were ablaze again with colorful music notes. He had ridden the sea to the height of its mightiest wave. Here he was in the place of his dreams. It was as though he stood in a wide-open theatre of the arts, the sole attendee of a show to which only he received an invite.

"I'm impressed," Kyu chuckled. She tore off her skimpy blouse and it fizzled away into tiny flutter of pink sparkles. There she slumped, bare and in all of her slender but mystical fairy beauty. "I didn't think you humans could stay in the game for so long. My boss was right when she called you a _special case_."

The full radiance of a symphonic orchestra burned brightly inside the core of Mike's soul. He stood at the forefront of an artistic crescendo unlike any other. Such intensity caused his body to delve into the deepest of depths while he simultaneously floated as light as air. With every note, the entire arrangement of musicians came closer to their grandiose finale. Finally, in the brightest of darkness, came an end to the greatest performance the man of emerald eyes had ever experienced.

Kyu felt the one she craved, the object of all her desires beginning to tense in a euphoric cascade of almighty ecstasy. "C'mon Mikey…. Show me what ya got…."

Mouth agape, she inched ever closer to his majestic weapon in all of its masculine radiance. In a final mighty heave, her client erupted with the intensity of a burning sun. Kyu continued to hold her mouth open wide as she was rewarded warmly and handsomely for her efforts.

Finally contented, Mikey let out a shallow sigh and fell back against the comfort of his bed. His entire body thumped gently under the pressure of his slowly decreasing heartbeat. His eyes remained fixated upon the sight of his own familiar ceiling. For the slightest moment, everything felt right in the world. The only sound to shatter the all too wonderful silence was that of his ticking bedside clock.

Meanwhile, Kyu licked her lips in tow with an expression matching that of a glutton at the dinner table after a large meal. With a gentle snap of her fingers, she whipped a tissue from the magical ether and slowly went about wiping the corners of her mouth.

"Ohhhhh yeah," she whispered with glee as she slumped in a heap on the bed and chuckled. "That's the stuff!"

Mike finally felt a few embers of strength returning to his exhausted body. With a great deal of exertion he heaved his all too heavy body up from the bed and sat upright with crossed legs. "You seem awfully happy over there, Kyu. In fact… fuck! Your eyes… they're-"

"Glowing pink? Uhhhh dude," Kyu interrupted in very factual tone with a slight hint of playfulness. "Let me give you a little magic lesson! Human _essence_ in its purest form is like crack to us girl fairies. It jacks our love powers up to like… a thousand percent!"

The winged beauty snorted with the amusement of a child. Her head was spinning round and round like a Sky Garden fair ride in the Mystic Winter. "Hehe…. That is why they always used to tell us in Love Fairy College… 'It's dangerous to take human life-force into your body through the mouth. It burns holes in your magical PH balance like pixie acid'."

Kyu let out a second tremendous piggy-like snort and slumped face first into the bed, "Gawwwwd! Miss Merriweather! My Human Studies teacher… WHAT A BITCH!" Her muffled voice erupted in a torrent of thunderous laughter. Pink fairy dust spilled out from the tips of her fingers.

"Oh shit," Mike rolled his eyes nervously and hurried over to her side. "How in the hell can a fairy get baked on something like THAT?"

"Kyu," he continued with the tone of a disapproving parent talking to a misbehaving charge, "If you knew that was going to happen… why do it?"

"Because," hiccupped the pink-haired fairy as she swayed unsteadily from side to side. Her eyes glowed brightly enough to illuminate the entire room at this point, "….It's a _really_ dirty taboo." Waggling her finger, she continued her explanation. "It's like… the ultimate showing of love for a human, but in Sky Garden it's the nastiest thing E-VER! It's not like… the 'proper way' a fairy should to take essence inside herself…."

Mike reached out in a desperate attempt to hold Kyu steady. A couple of inches more and she would be falling off the bed. Brow raised in concern, he sighed, "So… how is a fairy supposed to take it inside herself, then?"

"Well duuhhhhh, stupid," Parting her legs in a most unladylike fashion, Kyu began pointing downward as if to suggest the Holy Grail had been found, "Right here, buddy! Upside is that we can absorb it safely, downside is that-"

"KYU!" Mike gasped in surprise as little rays of light began to sparkle from the expanse of her wings.

"Oh…. I'm fine, I'm fine." Her protest was awash with a flood of giggling stupidity as every effort to string logical words together failed. I just… I need to erm…."

With a gentle thump, Kyu flopped in Mike's lap. Little moans slipped free from her lips that seemed to share the dignity and grace of a mooing cow. "I just need to sleep…."

Mike winced softly. The sudden pressure applied to his gentlemanly area was more than a little discomforting to say the least. Regardless, he kept an arm around Kyu for safety as she gently started to snore. He watched in fascination as her thin wings slowly pushed inside her back. Her entire body glowed an extremely bright hot pink as many another sprinkle of fairy dust leaked from her pores.

All the blond could bring himself to do was sigh in exhaustion at his current situation. "You were supposed to be sent here to help me straighten things out…. Kinda feels like they're only getting more and more complicated."

A quick glance at the clock gave Mike another surprise to add to the list on this already hectic evening. "Three in the morning. I guess I better get some sleep."

Smiling softly at the girl in his lap, he carefully picked her up. "….She's light as a feather," and he quickly placed her down upon the bed. Wrapping a couple of sheets around Kyu's middle, he nodded in approval before reaching for his shorts.

"Guess I'm sleeping on the couch tonight."

* * *

A hefty weight held Mike's entire body in place as his eyes flickered open. Waking never got any kinder to him no matter how hard he tried to appease it. What a cruel mistress that sleep could be. With a gentle groan, he stretched out his stiffened limbs and followed up with a yawn of epic proportions. The faint presence of light remained tucked away behind the living room curtains.

"Great… I'm still in the buff. Should've put my shorts on or something…."

The fight to regain any semblance of waking sense was very real indeed. Groaning again like a victim of some cruel toture, Mikey blindly flailed his hand around in the direction in which his still frozen brain assumed the coffee table was in. His uncoordinated fingers knocked several miscellaneous items flying in the search for the object he desired. "Plate... pencil… what the hell are my lockbox keys doing there? Where is it? Ah… there." In a second mammoth yawn, he grabbed his Huniebee and glanced wearily at the screen.

"Eleven… I'm awake before noon. Screw it… maybe I should just go back to-"

"Huh?" Something strange grabbed Mike's attention as his tired green eyes fixated on his phone. "Why is my contact information for Kyu missing?"

Alarm pulsed through the core of his being in response to this startling revelation. As if by instinct, he jumped to his feet in a daze and glanced around the living room area. "Kyu," he called with an exceedingly obvious lack of energy, "Hey, are you in here? Kyu?"

As the numbing effects of sleep began to fade due to the urgency, Mikey quickly began to realise something was very much out of place. His immediate glances toward the kitchen area and the expanse of the lounge only made him worry more. "It's totally spotless," his disbelief was exceedingly evident in his tone of voice. "I haven't cleaned up in here for days…. How could it get this tidy?"

Stepping into his bedroom was the icing on the cake. The sight of his immaculately clean sleeping space brought his heartbeat to match a bass drum. "Kyu's gone… and the entire place is clean from top to-"

"What the hell is this?" A pink piece of paper scrawled in sparkly pen sat on the middle of his bed. Looking down, he reached for the item and held it further away in order to better read. Being farsighted was a bitch. "Love fairy release form?"

Still more than a little confused, Mikey speed-read the document in all of its gloriously laughable official handwriting. "…She can't be serious. Please tell me she isn't serious about this."

The truth of the paper just would not sink in no matter how he tried. Still wracked with a sense of astonishment, he cleared his throat. Perhaps reading it aloud would be the only way for Mikey to clear his head.

"So, champ… it feels like my work here as your beautiful fairy guardian is just about done. Us magical creatures, we have a feel for these things. I could sense it last night when we were getting freaky! Your heart is almost completely connected with Red. That… and I broke the number one rule. 'Screw around with your clients… but don't be too attached.' After last night, my boss is having me reassigned…. So… I need you to just sign your name at the bottom of this lovely little letter I wrote. As soon as you do that… I'll disappear."

Mike sighed with frustration at the halfway point. Reading this aloud was proving to be just as difficult as reading in his head. Taking a quick breath, he continued.

"It's a total bummer, am I right? But look on the bright side. You're so close to winning Mega Bitch over! Just keep on persisting and don't give up on her. Be sincere and show her you're serious! One last thing I need to tell you Mikey…. I never thought I'd ever say this to a human, but…. I kinda fell in love with you a little. Ewwww…. GAG! Commitment…. No, super serious though, I'm gonna miss you… you crazy bastard, love Kyu! PS, you're gonna be one of those clients I never forget."

A heavy heart weighed Mikey down as the contents of the letter kept going round and around in an endless loop. To watch a friend so dear walk away after so long, the pain was beyond any words he could use to describe it. His shaking hands held the note so tightly that they scrunched it a little.

"Four months… and you couldn't even say goodbye to me…. I knew this day would come eventually… but was a final farewell too much for you?"

He needed something, anything to ease the pain this sudden and unforgiving development. His memories briefly danced to a time before college, a time before Glenberry, and most importantly, a time before Third Betrayal or Kyu.

Mike placed the latter upon his bed and kneeled. Reaching his arm underneath the bedframe, he felt around in the confined space beneath the bed. His hand touched something cold and metallic feeling. "There you are…. It's been long enough."

The blond musician used his strength to carefully pull the object out from under the bed. His eyes fell upon a large metal storage case that had a thick layer of dust over its silvery top. "It's been months since I last opened you. I can hardly believe it."

With a click of the side locks, the exceedingly robust looking storage case came open from the top. Staring Mike in the face was a sight most majestic indeed. Wood and strings from an era in his life so long ago that it felt like ancient history.

"The violin…. We meet again, it seems." A pang of weighty sadness stuck in Mike's chest for many a moment. He placed a hand upon his heart and nodded with a sense of stern resolution in his eyes. "The only way I'm going to be able to confess the true extent of my feelings to Audrey is if bring things to a close with Kyu as well."

A cautious look adorned his features as he ever so carefully reached down and placed his hand upon the pristinely conditioned instrument. "Over twenty years since you were in the hands of your original owner…. I better be sure I don't let her down."

In his heart, Mike knew that this was right. Tonight would be the night to put things to a close in one of the only ways he knew how. Once again, music would act as the beacon to guide him in a truly uncertain time.

* * *

A cool evening breeze blew softly in accompaniment to the final rays of dying sunlight. Mike cast his eyes outward to the vast landscape that sprawled in the form of a majestic sea of lights. "I can see all of Glenberry from up here."

The young man stood atop a large hill that overlooked the entire city. Adorned in his smartest casual attire, he nodded in affirmation of the wonderful sight that graced him on this evening. Running a hand upward, he popped the top button on his pristinely ironed black shirt and gave a smile. "It's about time that I get this started."

Most people knew Mikey as the lead single of Third Betrayal. However, everybody had a hidden side deep within, and this was his. A powerful ray of light sung out from his core for the violin. All of the heart-warming sounds it could make still held a fondness that reached as far back as his memory could recall.

Stepping forward in his shined black shoes and matching black trousers, he took up his position just before the safety railings and reached down to the open instrument box at his right side. He took the violin firmly in hand and began his preparations.

Mikey started by placing the left side of his jaw carefully against the chinrest of the violin and moved his right shoulder in support to ensure proper posture while playing. Once properly steadied by the weight of both his jaw and shoulder, he fell into a relaxed stance and brought the playing bow to bear in his right hand.

His stance radiated a strong aura of natural calm in the ready playing position. After a short breath to ensure absolute relaxation, Mikey brought to the bow against the higher strings and began softly playing a gentle classical melody. The notes, which resonated from his instrument seamlessly, melded between highs and lows as his body moved with absolute precision to support his hold upon the box of wood and strings.

With the city as witness, the young man continued his artistic melody with every ounce of passion within his powerfully beating heart. Glenberry was his home now, and this special place would also be where he showed his deep love for music and romance to the entire world. Low cries of magical intensity rang out from the violin in tow with the musical whims of its master. Eyes still firmly shut; Mikey was playing from mere memory alone on this pleasant evening.

Something very deep within the core of who he was rang out on this night to guide every single note. If there were some kind of higher power in this twisted but equally amazing world, then he would make damn sure they heard every shred of the beautiful human soul within this special little performance.

However, just as the miracle of life, every breath-taking thing had to come to an end before long. In one final flourish of mighty majestic power, Mikey began the final movements to finish his song. His entire body shuddered with passion. The bow lovingly caressed the length of the strings as if life itself depended on the enchanting notes of sound they made. Finally, there was a pristine silence aside from the softly blowing wind.

Exhausted after such a short but powerful showing of love through music, Mike moved out of the playing position and held his instrument. A silent bow of thanks was all he gave to the city, his invisible audience that did not even know he was there.

"Thank you so much… and goodbye, Kyu." Tiny streams of water pooled within the young man's freshly opened eyes.

Carefully, he placed the instrument and its bow within the case. For the longest moment, he started down at the violin and smiled fondly. His gaze fixated upon a name etched in neat handwriting across the bottom of the finely crafted wooden creation.

' _Angela Scarlett Winters'_

Memories of the past again struck deeply. Mike gave a thin smile and finally closed the box with a click of the protective locks. "I hope I've made you proud..."

Painstakingly, his mind fell upon what had to be done. Mikey unfolded Kyu's piece of pink contract paper from his shirt pocket and produced a pen from his trousers. "The last few months have been amazing..." Alas, he signed his name on the dotted line.

' _Mike Andrew Winters'_

"….Dude… I didn't know you could play classical! You're full of surprises!"

"Kyu!" Mike's heart jumped within his chest. He spun on his heels in the hope of being greeted by the face that matched the voice.

"I thought I'd say goodbye…. You know, be awesome and all that shit!" Surely enough, there she stood, wearing the same terrible wig and dress from the very first time they met. Her human disguise concealed her wings and pink locks, but there was no mistaking the sight of Kyu Sugardust.

Slowly, Kyu wandered over in her impossibly high heels. While slow at first, she quite readily wrapped her arms around her former client's middle and squeezed him tight. She really hated goodbyes. This one especially was not proving very nice for her. "You're almost at the end of the line, Mikey. Just a little further and Audrey's all yours."

"But what about you?" She wasn't even gone yet and Mike couldn't shake the feeling of being lost. He simply held his dearest friend tight as if she were a china doll. "I don't know if I can do this without you…. You've done so much to help me since you got here."

Mikey's words only caused Kyu to cling on more. God, if the rest of the love fairies could see her right now she would be a total laughing stock. Actual emotional attachment to a human and not just casual sex? It was almost unheard of. "You're gonna do fine! You always had your passion inside you Mikey! All I did was help wake it up! Besides… my new assignment in Spain starts a week from now."

"But I'm not so sure…." The thought of trying to tame Audrey without Kyu was terrifying. Mike could hardly fathom it at this moment.

Kyu softly placed a kiss upon Mike's lips and took a step back, and then another. Her body flickered with a faint magical light. It was almost time to go. She looked away sadly and hid her eyes. Mikey didn't need to see her like this. "….I believe in you, tiger! Go get her!"

A slow and somewhat pained nod was the only thing Mike could find the strength to give. His emotions were twisting up inside.

Meanwhile, a small magical door popped into flowery existence from the ether. Sighing in defeat against the odds of her impossible situation, Kyu turned to face it. This whole 'having to leave' thing really sucked. "You know something?" she spoke playfully. "I'm supposed to wipe your memory before I go… but I'm not gonna. Don't you dare forget about me!"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Mikey glanced down to his hands. It was crazy; the contract he signed was fizzling away as if it never existed.

"Well," This was it, no going back now. "Good luck, handsome! Who knows? Maybe I'll see ya round next time I'm assigned here!"

Without anything more, Kyu flung herself through the magical door as fast as her slim fluttering wings could carry her. The door twisted and swirled for a moment before popping in a little shower of mystical flowery goodness.

The silence that followed was almost deafening in itself own right. Mike hated every single second of it. For the longest time moving was too much of a chore. Finally, however, he looked behind to the radiant lights of Glenberry and gave a tiny little smile.

"Thank you, Kyu…. Thank you for everything…."

**To be continued….**


	7. Redhead – Part VII

Everything was on the line tonight. Lusties bustled with life on this, a Saturday night. The usual rave music blurred over the speakers in an attempt to sate the appetite of those who wanted nothing more than to hear the band play.

Thumping bass loud enough leave a reverb in the chest, Audrey let out a sigh of happiness. Here she was once again, in her home away from home. "Alright… Now to find a good spot near the bar."

"Nikki," the redhead glared daggers while she impatiently tapped her foot, "Are you coming? Get your ass in here, girl."

"For goodness sakes, Audrey." In from the darkness shuffled a maiden of blue, an overly woolly sweater bundled around her torso for warmth. "Did you really need to drag me in here… after last time? You're only forcing me to come with you because Tiffany won't leave her dorm…."

"Here we go again," Miss Belrose stomped her foot with the decorum of a bratty child, "You're barely through the door and you're already complaining!"

Barking with the ferocity of a Pitbull, the redhead reached back and grabbed Nikki by the hand, pulling her further inside whether she liked it or not, "This is like… super important to me! I want you to keep me company while I deal with things."

Slumped against the bar in defeat, Nikki let out an elongated sigh. "I don't see why you couldn't just call Tiffany and talk this out. I mean… she said she didn't hate you. Honestly, I'm still surprised you to managed to date the same guy and not figure it out until now. Something like that is… kinda obvious, don't you think?"

"Fuck you're annoying…. I told you before… it was a casual relationship with me and him! I mean, shit... I didn't even KNOW he was dating Tiffany!" Audrey set herself down on a barstool. Flashing the barman a smile, she held up her hand. "How about a little service over here?"

"What can I get you two?" He sat aside the glass in his hand and brought his full attention to the duo of blue and red. "Cocktails are twenty percent off since you're all ticket holders for the gig tonight."

Giving a sly smirk, Audrey pulled a pair of tickets from her purse. "How about a daiquiri for me and a beer for Miss Whiny Bitch behind me?"

"Hey," Nikki piped up in her strongest attempt at a retort. "Don't get all grumpy with me…. It's not my fault you have guy problems."

"Guy problems? Oh, that's rich! Coming from the girl whose boyfriend lives inside her computer. I told you… Nikki! I don't have guy problems! Tiff's the only one feeling upset about all this."

She thought back to English class on Friday morning. The music around her fizzled into nothingness as her memories came to life.

* * *

Audrey watched with frustration as the clock at the front of the classroom ticked on slowly. Mr Martin's usual lecture dragged on as always. She didn't even understand half the shit he was rambling about in this class anyway. Her main interest was on the girl sat in front. Blonde hair and pigtails.

"Pssst, "Tiff…. C'mon… talk to me... please?"

It was perhaps the most awkward experience ever. Usually Tiffany shared her notes and she was really helpful. This time around, she just sat in place like a doll with a glum expression as she played with her pencil.

Finally, as the bell rung, Audrey watched out of the corner of her eye as Tiffany reached for her book bag and bolted from the room like an athlete.

"Alright," the redhead sprung from her seat while hastily collecting her scruffy notepad, "This has gone on long enough."

Alas, Miss Belrose took off down the corridor in hot pursuit. Her heels thumped against the hardened floor with every step. "Tiffany!" she called out, "Tiff!"

No response. The cheerleader kept her back turned as she walked toward her next class.

Audrey felt her blood pressure rising. No, it was worse. Her frustration rivalled that of a volcano on the verge of a powerful eruption. Finally unable to take anymore, "TIFFANY MAYE! Stop," she snapped. Several people gave glances as they passed in the hall.

Finally, Tiffany turned around, her face likely red out of embarrassment more than anything else. Slowly, stiffly, she moved to join Audrey, "….What is it?" the tone of her voice was both weak and a little distant.

"We're supposed to be friends… and you haven't spoken to me since Sunday. TALK TO ME, girl." Audrey placed her hands upon her hips impatiently, her lips twisting into a scowl. "If you hate me… just tell me already. Fuck sakes Tiffany…. I'm a big girl, I can take it!"

"I don't," the blond started in a raised voice before calming down, "I don't hate you," she clarified.

Audrey breathed a mental sigh of relief. Tiff was a good girl in her eyes. A little too shiny around the edges, but still someone she enjoyed spending time with.

Eyes fixated on the ground, the blonde continued nervously, "I just… I need time…. I need time to deal with this…. It still hurts..."

Bringing her gaze up again, Tiffany peered sincerely into Audrey's eyes, "….especially if you decide to keep on seeing _him_. I won't let it ruin our friendship… and I don't blame you, Audrey. After all, you didn't know either…. This is just… it's a wound that's going to take time to heal."

Audrey felt something pull tight in her chest. She smiled, sadly all the same, but she still smiled, "I get it! I get it! You take as long as you need."

"Thank you," Tiffany replied softly, "I didn't expect you to be so... understanding."

Audrey still felt a little shred of regret pulling at her heart strings, "I know this shit isn't my fault or anything, but I still want to say sor-"

The bell rang out loudly, cutting her off before she could finish.

With that, Tiffany seemed to be in a hurry all over again. "Oh no! Going to be late for Chemistry! I've got to go! We can talk about it later... promise!" The cheerleader took off down the long corridor at double pace, almost falling several times along the way.

Alone once again, Audrey took a moment to string everything together. Subconsciously, her fingers scrunched the corners of her notebook. "You're like... too good to me." After all, the last thing she expected was any kind of forgiveness. Far too many times before in life she was met with hatred for the things she did.

* * *

Audrey snapped back to reality at the sound of clanking glasses.

The bartender looked on with a tired smile. "That'll be Ten. Cash or credit only."

She gave a sigh and passed a bill to the man serving her drinks., "Shit, your booze doesn't come down in price much, does it?"

"Hey," Nikki chimed in with her usual lack of enthusiasm. It seemed as though her crimson-haired friend had forgotten the whole reason they came in here. "Are you going to ask about Mike, or what? I'm wasting a night I could spend playing Neon Gods by coming in here."

"Fuck," Audrey spat back. Slinking her fingers around the glass, she took a sip of her daiquiri, "I'm getting to it. Just calm down! We've only been here for what… ten minutes?"

"Sixteen, Audrey. You keep zoning out," replied Nikki precisely. She had the sleeve of her sweater rolled to point at the face of her watch.

"Look," continued the girl with blue hair. She pushed her glasses up and looked pleadingly toward the bartender. "With all due respect, I don't want to be in here tonight. My friend here wants to see Mike. His band is playing or something…."

"Oh, right," spoke the bartender. He looked across to Nikki, and then Audrey with a bit of an uncertain expression across his face. "So you know _THAT_ Mike?"

He pondered for a moment, "Sorry…. I don't think I can help you right now. They're due to come on stage in twenty minutes or so, but I tell you what…. I'll pass on the message that you two ladies are looking for him."

"One," Nikki was quick to butt in. She grabbed her beer and took a hearty gulp to calm the nerves. Being out in public like this was a bitch, "I don't want to see him at all. The guy sounds like a jackass…."

Fantastic, they were already too late to speak to him before the show. Audrey growled with frustration. She downed her drink with the ferocity of a tiger and reached for her cigarettes.

"I'm going for a smoke. Watch my purse till I get back!"

"When's Third Betrayal coming on?" The voice of another female patron drew Nikki's attention for a moment before she looked away nervously. Without Audrey there as backup her social skills were a literal zero.

"Twenty minutes, like I told the other girls. Just be patient, okay? Look over there. See the guy in the leather jacket? That's their manager, so they should be almost ready. Now, let me finish cleaning these glasses, please?" The barman sighed in defeat. He was having one hell of a time keeping folks at bay tonight.

"Ohhh… fine," scoffed the young woman. She looked to her friend and rolled her eyes impatiently, "I just wanna see Steve already! Come on Tammy. Let's go over there while we wait."

* * *

Mark slid through the curtains with a look of surprise plastered across his face. It was true to say that, even he felt surprised by the amount of people out there tonight. "Guys, I think it's best I let you know now…. We have a full house out front. There has to be a few hundred of them at least."

Neil looked to his brother. This certainly was welcome news. Lusties always seemed to deliver when it came to a full venue. "So, Steve," he began with a smug smirk before plugging a cable into his guitar. "What do you think of our chances getting some action tonight?"

After he finished checking an amp in the corner, Steve looked back with a smile to match his sibling, "I have a good feeling. The girls love us when we get out there!"

Both of them looked across to Mark in perfect unison, "So many hot chicks out there tonight means plenty to choose from... after all."

Neil chuckled in retort to his identical sibling.

All the while, Mark simply looked onward with quiet surprise toward their openness. It must have been true what they said about twins sharing a link in a way normal siblings did not. These two even seemed to dress identically wherever they went. It felt a little disorienting for the manager as he started at what was practically a mirror image.

As the twins went back to their conversation Mark looked across to an all too familiar mountain of muscle, "Jamie," he began coolly, "How are things looking on your end? We're already behind schedule."

"I know, Markus. I KNOW," The greasy-haired sound guy adjusted his shirt after what seemed like the most fierce bark of acknowledgement ever. "Working under pressure like this isn't my strongpoint," he explained with a frown alongside his hostile tone. "This is Mike's fault. If he wasn't fucking around with his gear until an hour ago… we would be ON TIME!"

Mark gave an understanding nod. He could not speak out against Jamie's feelings; After all, it was true; lately Mike seemed to be really on edge. His timekeeping was worse than usual, not to mention he was drinking even more than he normally did. "I'll go get him. He said something about going to the V.I.P room to change."

"Yeah, you do that." Jamie spat with fury. His fingers hammered against laptop he was using like a man possessed. "While you go find him… I need to finish checking our soundtrack."

Meanwhile, the twins came out of the seclusion of their exclusive brotherly conversation. One of them caught Markus by the shoulder as he tried to slip out of the side door. "So… we're singing a three piece set tonight. That was the plan before."

His exit slightly delayed, Markus stopped prematurely and looked back "Neil or Steve?"

The twin held up his wrist to reveal a blue band around it, "Steve."

Mark continued, "I wish you and your brother would stop dressing exactly the same. Without those bands we can't tell you apart most of the time."

The guitarist gave an amused laugh of dismissal. In three years of knowing Mark, it was still so easy to confuse him. "No can do. We need to stay the same. It's part of our Zen! We were born a duo, and we plan to keep it that way."

"Amen to that, bro," called Neil from behind.

"Anyway," Mark cut in abruptly to claw back an ounce of his sanity. His head was spinning just trying to cope with the siblings in full force. "About the music, it's going to be Broken Wings, the new song… Audrey, and the last one…. Damn… I seem to have forgotten the name."

"It's called Desire," Jamie pulled himself up from piles of surrounding wires. He clutched a CD tightly in the left hand while he hurriedly checked sound levels on the mixer to his right "We're making it the closing song tonight."

"Thank you, Jamie," Markus gave a snap of his fingers in recollection, "Desire. That's what it's called. Now, if you gentleman don't mind, I need to drag Mike down here so we can get this show started."

"We'll be here," came Jamie's voice. He nonchalantly waved the manager off before going back to his business with the sound system. "Now, where did the yellow auxiliary cable go?"

Neil put his guitar down and made his way across to Jamie. "I don't mind helping you look for it. Calm down! There's a vain sticking out of your head."

* * *

Mike exhaled in an attempt to relieve the tension. At least in here there wasn't the distraction of noise from the rest of the club. The joys of a soundproofed room. "Got to keep it cool and in control. Its how I make things go my way."

He ran a gelled hand through his peroxide hair. Slicked back and ready to rumble, his lips curved into an approving smile for his hairdo. "Discovering my confident side gave me everything I have in my life now. I might as well take it all the way tonight."

His fingers slid downward slightly to pop open a couple of the buttons on his shirt, a ritual of sorts to aid in stressful times, "That… and it makes me feel good."

A knock on the door drew the singer away from his mirror ritual. He looked back with a raised brow before grabbing his body spray, "Come on in. I've almost finished."

"We're just about ready to start," came Markus' voice as the door creaked open.

Mike watched as his tall and well-defined friend entered. His attention lasted for all of a moment before looking back to the mirror. Now he was fiddling around with his shoes.

Mark stood, arms folded, waiting expectantly, "Oh, I have a message from the bar staff, too," he said with a snap of the fingers in recollection, "They mentioned something about a girl asking for you on behalf of her friend. Blue hair, apparently, looks very unhappy about being here."

"Blue hair?" questioned Mikey. His mind jumped back for a moment, "Nobody with a blue rinse comes to mind. My guess is that it's more people asking when we're coming on stage."

"Speaking of that," Mark perched himself against one of the couches in the room with a slightly more serious expression upon his face, "I hope you realize just how much you've frustrated Jamie tonight. The poor guy is backstage almost pulling hi,s hair out. You know he doesn't work well when we rush him."

Mike frowned slightly. Having finally finished getting ready, he pulled his attention away from the reflective glass. "I know, man. Trust me, I know. I owe him a few drinks later. It's the least I can do to say sorry. I guess I've just-"

His thoughts fell upon all the recent happenings. Women, women, and more women. His life seemed filled with nothing but the female sex as of late. "I've had a lot going on, and it's kind of split my attention. 'Personal chaos' I suppose you could call it."

"Just how bad has it been?" Mark questioned. He took a moment to remove his rather toasty jacket before continuing, "You and I have been friends since college. I could tell something was amiss the other day during practice. It was all in your singing. Look, I like to try and respect your privacy, brother. However... I feel concerned at this point."

A dry chuckle spilled free of Mike's lips. Oh, the irony of this whole conversation. "It's my own fault. I've had some relationship problems lately." Red hair, pink hair, and blonde hair. The images of three girls swam around in his mind for many a moment. Finally, two of them evaporated and only one stood at the forefront of his thoughts.

Mike found himself greeted by the sight of surprise-widened eyes from Mark. The manager took out a cigarette and jammed it in the corner of his mouth. This required a little nicotine. After firing up and taking a drag, he nodded patiently, "Go on. I'm listening."

The blond moved to sit beside his friend and continued, "There's this girl I really feel something for. She's a redhead, tongue as sharp as a knife, but whenever we're alone I see such a gentle side to her. The whole situation ended up in a real mess. We drifted apart a while ago, ended up dating her friend, but then she came back. Things kinda... flew out of control..."

"Well... darn. I must say... I wasn't expecting that. You're usually too engrossed in music to get involved with women." Markus took another hit of his cigarette while patiently waiting for Mike to continue.

"Yeah... I can't say I'm proud of all this," the singer took a moment to reflect on everything, "Things started off entirely innocent... but the more invested I became, the more difficult it became to do the right thing. I even got a little too involved with my relationship councelor."

Was it okay to call Kyu a counselor? Yes, Mikey thought so in his own mind. After all, he never would have gotten this far without her. True, she became a source of the conflict, but there was no denying just how crutial her invervention in his life had been.

Mark finished his smoke with one a hearty drag and moved for the ashtray beside the couch, "I wish you would have told me sooner, Mike. It isn't all that healthy keeping all of your problems locked up like that."

The last thing Mr Winters wanted to feel like was making his already busy friend's life more eventful. Just the thought of it was enough to make him feel uneasy "Markus... you manage all the complicated stuff for this band. Plus, you work part-time on top of that, too. The last thing you need is me giving you more to deal with."

"Yes," began the manager with a serious frown, "I also have a cat now. However... none of that would have stopped me if you had simply asked for my help. Lord... you are stubborn, Mike Winters."

"You're right," Mikey hung his head in thought. It was true, he'd been so wrapped up with everything involving the girls recently. Such single-minded commitment was clearly effecting everything else. "I'll be alright, though. I think things are starting to look up. I took some time to play a little classical the other night. I think it helped put some of this crazy shit outta my mind."

"How long has it been since you last played?" Markus softened his expression a little and gave a supportive smile.

"Nearly four months, " Mike thought back to the final night he spent with Kyu. He held a content feeling. She was gone now, but never forgotten. He could live with that, "Went up to the hill above town... nice view up there, I tell ya."

"Hey..." Mark came to stand beside Mikey again. The best thing he could do right now was give his buddy a pat on the back, "You will be alright, won't you? I'm worried that playing tonight might be a little much for you."

Mike simply let out an amused laugh and waved the whole thing off, "Markus…. You have my word; I'm through the worst of this storm. That relationship counsellor I mentioned… she gave me some decent advice before she took off. I can cope! Don't you worry!"

"Tonight," the vocalist smiled coolly, "We're going give everybody in this club a night they won't forget."

"That's the spirit. It's good to see you looking a bit more cheerful at last," Mark took a drag of his cigarette and gave a contented nod to his friend's response. Once he finished smoking, he stood from his lean against the couch and grabbed his coat. "How about we get to playing before Jamie has a breakdown?"

A nervous chuckle slipped free from Mike's lips. He wouldn't put it past their sound guy after today, "Yeah… let's go…. I don't quite fancy the idea of being on the receiving end of _that_ whirlwind."

Mark made his way toward the door, "I'm going to hurry on ahead. See you down there."

"Gotcha," came Mike in reply with an energetic thumbs up.

When the door sqeaked shut the blond took took a moment to bask in the silence of the room. He thought back, one last time, for the sake of closure, "...I made mistakes, and they might cost me dearly... But whatever happens... everything finally makes sense."

He smiled, a heavy weight finally felt as though it was lifting from his body, "...I was selfish. I gave up on Audrey when she stopped calling... tried to push away the moments we shared. It was all because I thought she didn't care about me... I was wrong."

Red and yellow, the blonde and the redhead, two of the three colors in the painting of his life recently. It was time to lay any doubts in his mind to rest, like he had done with Kyu, "No more lying to myself, and no more temptation."

First, was the cheerleader, somebody he hurt gravely. Hand on heart, he bowed his head, "...I'm very sorry for how all of this turned out, Tiffany. I can only hope that you find a guy out there somewhere to make you happy."

_'What's shakin bacon?'_

The color red was commonly connected to anger and agression. True, the girl Mike linked associated the color was like that, on the surface at least. However, the truth of who she was beneath that, at least in his own heart, couldn't have been more different.

"Audrey... I've cared about you since the day we met... but I didn't realize until a little while ago just how much pain you feel."

_'….I'm the girl that nobody fucking wanted, like, ever...'_

Mike gave a nod of confidence. His eyes burned brightly with determination, "...Even if she doesn't want to be with me anymore... tonight... I'll sing for _her_."

* * *

Audrey flickered her lighter with a snarl, "Fucking nightclub. Why can't they open up the V.I.P room? You're allowed to smoke in there!"

Cheers erupted from within the club. The volume was enough of a shock to make her flinch and almost drop her lighter. Looking back to the doorway, she scoffed with slowly bubbling rage, "Great. Now I'm totally missing the first song."

" _Hey! We're Third Betrayal. Thanks for having us back here! I just want to start by saying something before we get things going. So… we all have somebody special to us out there, right?"_

Audrey pushed hard to block out Mike's voice over the stereo system as it echoed. Just the sound of him speaking, it made her feel bizarre in a way she hadn't before.

Stuck somewhere halfway between frustration and endearment, her heart felt a little flutter, "Stupid fucking guy with his stupid blond hair."

" _Anyway! This is our first song! Broken Wings! We hope you enjoy it. It's a lot more… chilled than our usual style."_

Music began playing and people cheered even louder. Now rushed to finish her smoke, Audrey fumbled with her cigarette while taking hasty drags. She was running out of time to get inside, "…Stop singing. I didn't come out here in my best dress to miss it!"

* * *

Audrey rushed back inside to see the lights focused centre stage. Mike stood at the front reeling off a verse while the two guitarists acted in support. Trying her best to wade through the crowds of people, Miss Belrose finally made her way back to the bar.

A terrified Nikki sat hunched in the corner nervously tapping keys on her tablet, "Too many people," she looked to Audrey with an expression of horror as she played mobile games with shaky fingers. "I think I'm going to… stay here. If you want to go up front then be my guest…."

"Urgh," Audrey rolled her eyes and stomped off into the crowd once again. "Why do I even bring her out with me? She doesn't even TRY to have fun!"

By the time, she reached the front Mike was practically at the end of the song. The guitarists were putting their instruments down and many of the concertgoers, especially the girls, were screaming and clapping.

"Move, bitch," Audrey shoved her way as close to the front as she possibly could. There she stood, arms folded with her usual badass expression for all to see. So far, Mike hadn't seen her, well, that was what she thought at least.

She watched eagerly as the blond looked to his sound person at the back. He nodded and whispered something before bringing his attention back to the crowd. How could he still not notice her when she stood right at the front?

"Now," Mikey started, his microphone held close. "Most of us in here are nineties kids, right? Give me a cheer if you were growing up back then!"

A largely feminine scream erupted from the crowd. It's implication was enough to make Audrey screw her face into a bitter scowl. She glared daggers at the girl stood next to her.

"So, most of us, then? Good!" Mike came right to the front of the stage and gave a cool smile, "This next one is a cover of a nineties song! You people remember Crazy Town? Well… this is inspired by their chart hit... Butterfly! We call it …'Audrey'. This is for a very special someone I know!"

His expression dropped for the slightest moment, became washed with a hint of sadness. However, he quickly came around again like a beam of sunshine, "The girl I'm dedicating this song to…. She's helped me find happiness in a way I never imagined! I met her in this very club... when we first played! I don't care if you're not perfect. To me, you're as close to perfect as I could ask for! Audrey, if you're here... thanks for coming into my life!"

Music came to life from all directions. Many people in the crowd began dancing to the familiar beat. Mikey gave a suave chuckle as he twirled the microphone like a real showman, "Okay! Here we go everybody!"

The guitars picked up in the background while the backing track went along in sync. Ready to rock, the blond gave a smile, "Come on, baby! Come back to me, honey! You're my firefly… sweetheart… honey! Such a sexy… little thing… a girl so strong ya make my heart sing!"

Audrey was sure for the slightest moment he looked directly at her. She placed a hand upon her chest to take a measure of her thumping heartbeat. Even her cheeks felt a little bit warm. Thoughts spun around in her head for a moment. She could not stop herself from wondering about this song. Was it dedicated to her? Regardless, Mike's smooth voice, it made her heart beat even harder.

As the crowd got further and further into the groove, Mike fell into a musical trance. It was as if he had become one with the sound. He just kept on going, "It doesn't matter, not the place or the time. All I want is you baby girl, to bring you into this world. Yeah that's right, I took me all this time, just to realize... but now I won't stop. No… not until you're all mine! You're my lady, you're my firefly! So take my hand and let's touch the sky!"

By now, Audrey felt content to give in to her rising urges. She joined with everybody else in dancing and threw all of her heart into it. Smiling, her defences defeated, she let out a cheer, "Mikey! Sing it for me!" True, this was not her usual choice of music, but she couldn't help but feel hypnotized by the sound of his voice.

Mike finally noticed Audrey's presence and smiled with warmth. The climax of the song was here, and he planned to deliver it with everything he had. "That's right… you're my lady! My firefly, I want you, baby! Don't care what it takes, cuz I want you beside me, that's right Audrey… you're my girl… honey!"

The whole club cheered in excitement as the band tore shit up with their music.

Mark gave a confident smirk, watching the whole scene unfold from his position at the bar, "They're on fire tonight. I don't think I've seen them play with such passion before."

* * *

By the end of the set a lot of the patrons piled up against the bar for drinks. Mike, however, sat slumped on a couch in the V.I.P room. The rush of adrenaline from a concert was always a bitch when it wore off.

Letting out a yawn, he leaned his head back against the fabric and closed his eyes, "Well... that was a major success."

His eyes opened abruptly when he was greeted by the sound of the door squeaking open. He wasn't expecting anyone from the band to come in. In fact, the rest of them were already packed up and ready to leave.

"You could at least look happy to see me," shoes thumped softly against the carpet. They came closer and closer until stopping dead ahead of him.

Mike saw red first and foremost, frilly red in the decorative pattern, "Audrey…. I didn't think you would come tonight. I mean, you haven't been answering my calls."

"Move up," the redhead lightly shoved Mikey to the side and placed herself on the couch with a smile. "You can't just go writing a song for a girl and expect her to ignore you."

"I thought you to kick my ass, to be honest. I mean… everything with Tiffany. I told you I was seeing someone, but even I-"

Audrey rested her head upon Mike's shoulder and sighed, "I've been through worse…. Seriously, though, Tiff doesn't wanna see your face ever again. You fucked up good with her."

"Doesn't surprise me," Mike still felt a small pang of guilt over it all. The memory of the sobbing cheerleader still stuck in his mind, even now. How could he end up dating two girls like that and not even realize their connection until it was staring him in the face?

He pushed the thought downward again. There was still a very important question to be answered, "So… where does this leave us?" the blonde asked nervously.

A faint smile curved Audrey's lips, "That's what I came to see you for," she began.

The redhead sat up with a chuckle, and swiftly struck out with her hand, "This is for Tiffany... and for acting like a total fuck!"

_CRACK_

Mike winced and held a hand over his burning cheek. Getting slapped in the face was something he almost felt accustomed to between Tiffany, and now this girl, "I think I get the picture…."

His heart sank. Had all of this been for nothing? Despite all of his best efforts, he felt as though the shadow of failure was looming. However, Kyu said he was close to winning Audrey over. Was her prediction wrong? He stood, and grabbed his jacket, "I guess I'll just go, huh?"

"Holy shit! Don't be a bitch. Sit your ass down," Audrey commanded as she yanked him back to the couch again.

After her little bark of agression, she let things rest for a moment before giving an alluring giggle, "This… is for keeping your promise to me…."

Content to show her affections, Audrey swept a few stray strands of hair away and leaned in. Her soft lips smacked against Mike's. Softly, she draped her arms around his middle. Once she got a glance of Mike relaxing into it she deepened their kiss, and slinked her legs around his back.

Now sprawled halfway upon his lap, Audrey used her dominant position to feast upon him as much as she wanted to. Her face flushed pink with enjoyment. Finally she pulled away, and the both of them were left gasping for breath.

"I guess I could give the whole 'serious' thing a try," uttered the party girl quietly. She adjusted the ruffles of her dress and gazed upon Mikey with stern intensity, "But if you EVER... EVER… fuck me around… I'll drop you so fucking fast…."

Mikey nodded understandingly and threw his arms around Audrey's petite middle, squeezing her tightly. Though she muttered something obscene, she didn't seem to be letting go. "So… does that make us official?"

Something about that statement tickled Audrey to no end. She could not help but start sniggering. Before long, it broke out into hysterical laughter and she let out an obnoxious snort. "Wow… for real… you make it sound like we're getting married or some shit!"

"Erm, sorry?" Mike raised a brow in confusion, "That wasn't my intention!"

"Yeah," Audrey finally began to calm down now that the novelty of the joke wore off. Finally relaxing to a more reasonable state, she buried her head against Mike's chest and stayed there.

"I'm your girlfriend… and that means no more hoes on the side. You're mine now… got that?!"

Mikey gave a warm chuckle. He couldn't ask for anything better, "Yes Ma'am! Loud and clear."

"Good." Audrey felt some comfort in the sincerity of his words. She wanted to believe him more than anything. For better or worse he followed through to the end and kept his promise of becoming a one woman man.

Pulling back from their embrace, the redhead frowned with an uneasy twiddle of the thumbs, "So… There's something I wanna tell you, but… somewhere a little more... private. How about we go back to your place?"

Mike reached for his jacket again, nodding in approval. He wondered what she wanted to say for a moment, but quickly let it drop. Audrey struggled with her words. Whatever it was, it would likely come in due time. "I'm fine with that. Let me call a cab."

Audrey smiled as she watched Mike reach for his phone. She thought about what she wanted to say to him. It was very close to her heart heart, and it was something she could only tell him back at his apartment. "Fuck! Mike… would you hurry up?!"

"I'm hurrying! Give me a second!" The young man started punching in the numbers with his thumbs as though a firecracker was lit under his ass.

Inside, Audrey laughed in amusement. Most people pissed her off. Mikey? He didn't piss her off anywhere near as much as the others. She just liked to keep him on his toes.

**To be continued….**


	8. Redhead – Finale

The entire apartment complex was deadly silent. After all, who would still be awake at gone two in the morning? It was time to get inside and warm up after such a long time waiting outside.

"Wow, the cab took way too long picking us up. I felt like such an idiot standing out in the cold like that." Audrey huffed with annoyance as she waited for Mike to get the door open. "Like, for real, who in the hell did that guy think he was?"

Mike fumbled with his keys for a second. This really was turning out to be a long night indeed, "Yeah, I'll think twice about using that service again. An hour long wait for a cab I booked in advance is _not_ cool…."

With a slight shunt, the door to his apartment came swinging open, "Alright. We're home. Make yourself comfy."

"Geez… my feet are killing me…. Dibs on the couch." With a chuckle, Audrey brushed past her man as if she simply owned his place.

Standing alone in the corridor like this gave Mike's thoughts free reign. He kept thinking back to what Audrey said to him before they left the club earlier. Just what did she want to tell him that was so important? Could it really be something of such great magnitude that she couldn't tell him in the club?

"Stop it, Mike," he spoke sternly to bring his rouge mind under control. "You don't need this right now. Overthinking things has gotten you into enough trouble lat-"

"Dude, the fuck?" Audrey's laughter rang out from the apartment, "Stop talking to yourself like that…. Get your ass in here."

Saved by the bell, Mike sighed mentally, "Coming, honey. Just grabbing my keys."

A little yawn escaped from Mike's lips. He made his way inside and kicked the door shut behind, "God... am I glad to be back indoors."

* * *

Audrey sprawled halfway across the couch. She seemed as content as a kitten snuggled in a box. It was the first place she gravitated toward whenever she came over, "Wow… there's like… nothing but crap on the T.V."

"Well," Mike began as he slung his jacket across the room. Not waiting to see where it landed, he moved around the coffee table to sit beside Audrey. "You didn't expect anything good at this time in the morning, did you?"

A frustrated sigh erupted from Audrey. She leaned her petite body over to grab the remote, "…Damn… can't… reach… short arms."

"Here," Mikey passed it across with a little smile of victory. He was quietly amused by her stature related struggles. He never voiced it openly though, life was too precious, "I got cable since you were last here. There has to be something on… somewhere."

He knew there wasn't. After all, Kyu was the one who paid for the cable before she left. On their less eventful days, she would just sit here for hours at a time watching Japanese anime and other 'questionable' channels in the mature section.

"Shopping channel… score!" Audrey's smile lit up like a Christmas tree in December, "They better be selling that dress I saw the other day…."

Mikey allowed his tired body to sink into the leather. After such an intense music session, his body felt almost completely devoid of energy. Despite his best efforts however, he could not allow himself to be a bad host in the company of his lady. "You want something to drink? Maybe a bite to eat?"

Audrey didn't even look away from plasma screen. Her peepers seemed to remain glued on overpriced fashion products this channel sold. "Erm… You got any nibbles? Like... I dunno… shit…. How about some cheese poofs?"

It took mammoth effort for Mikey to haul his body away from the welcoming embrace of the sofa, "I'll go see what I can rustle up. I might have some tortilla chips lying around."

Mike felt his heartbeat increase. His eyes fell upon the sight of Kyu's picture still stuck to the fridge in plain view. Damn, he needed to move that before Audrey saw it. How could be so stupid as to leave it out in the open like that?

Snatching the photograph, he zipped into the bedroom. His eyes darted between the bedside drawer and the little trashcan next to the dresser, "Do I throw it out, or hide it?"

It was a dilemma, all right. On the one hand, he felt the urge to keep it for sentimental reasons. After all, Kyu had done so much to help him. He wanted something, at least one thing to remember her by. Yet, if Audrey were by chance to see it, the consequences would be extremely grim indeed. The thumping of his heartbeat served as a nervous reminder to the urgency of the situation. Decision making under pressure, it was not his strongpoint.

"Drawer." It was split second, but a choice nonetheless. Mikey pulled open the bottom drawer of his bedside table and stuck the little Polaroid picture inside. "Done and do-"

* * *

The familiar thumping of Audrey's shoes against the hardwood caught his attention. Before he so much as made his way toward the door, she was already standing there with a very 'interesting' little smile upon her face.

"You know," she began in a low and somewhat inviting tone of voice, "We could just forget the snacks and go sleep…. I mean, it's like, really late."

Mikey gave a little nod, "Give me a second to get changed."

However, Audrey slinked her arms around his middle and brought her head to rest against his chest. "Nope…. Not letting you leave this room."

The look of contentedness on her face was something else. Mike realized she would likely never admit it openly, but whenever she hugged him like this, she seemed so at ease with everything. All the hostility on the surface simply appeared to melt away.

To refuse the affections of the redhead at a time like this would upset her. Sure, she would show it with violence, but Mikey knew her well enough to realize the mask she wore to cover her emotions. After all, beneath all that bitterness was a fragile girl wanting to be loved. It was what he believed, anyway.

"Okay," he continued in an affectionate little whisper, "Let's just call it a night. I could use a little extra sleep after today."

Audrey's hold around Mike's middle loosened slightly. She tiptoed back a couple of inches, just enough to generate a microbe of space, and gave the tiniest of smiles. "You better not steal all the fucking covers this time."

"Wouldn't dream of it," the blond chucked softly as he watched Audrey turn her back and motion toward her dress.

"Unzip me…. I mean… I could do this shit myself, but… if you wanna I guess I wouldn't mind."

Without saying a word, Mikey reached for the tiny red zip at the back. He slowly took hold and slid it down in a single; slow motion. Once undone, he watched in quiet interest as the garment slowly fell to the ground.

"Thanks," she spoke with allure, "I better get my shoes."

Mikey felt a thump in his chest. Audrey bent over, perhaps a little too, provocatively. The lacy red garments clasped around her womanly region seemed to be standing out all too clearly. Perhaps even more so now that she bent over painstakingly to remove her shoes.

By the time Audrey pulled off her footwear and turned back, she caught the sight of a bright red flush upon Mike's cheeks. "The hell? Your face is like, bright red!"

A small sigh of tension escaped Mike's lips at the sight of her slender figure. The shape of Audrey's body, the ruby tint to her long hair, the dark but inviting color of her eyes, they all seemed to meld together like some form of poetry. "….I'm not going to apologize for thinking you're beautiful."

"...Shut up," Audrey stammered. Just like that, she felt the heat rising in her own cheeks. There was a difference between this, a genuine compliment, and the cheesy one-liners that so many guys trying to pick her up at the bar had reeled off before.

The young man basked in the sight set out before him with pride. Audrey's snowy white skin and her long crimson locks; her short slender legs; the slightly rounded heart shape of her behind. All of it together was something she should feel very proud of, he thought. Mere inches away from him stood a vixen of the most gorgeous degree. True, her personality on the surface was harsh and cold, but there was so much more to Audrey Belrose than that.

Mikey brought his hand up and gently caressed Audrey's cheek. The sheer sentiment toward her he felt, in spite of everything it had taken to get here, it was more than a little overwhelming. His emotions swirled inside as if they were a vortex. All the trouble just trying to prove himself to Audrey; the chaos with Kyu; and having to hurt Tiffany. So many things had happened in the process of pursing this young lady.

"I don't have any regrets," Mike smiled, as he softly continued to stroke Audrey's cheek with his thumb. A tiny tear rolled from the corner of his eye, "It was wrong of me to not give you a chance when we first got together. I know I've told you this before, but it's important you know how I feel about it."

Audrey closed her eyes. She hated feeling vulnerable like this. Mikey was practically the only person that could disarm her with words, cool her hostilities, and generally make her feel so at ease with everything. It frightened her beyond anything else she knew. Especially since the majority of people in her past, her family most of all, had hurt her so much.

Mikey gauged the rather subdued reaction to his words. He felt it was safe to continue and just be honest. "I know you've had a hard time, Audrey. You carry a heavy burden, and it's true that I might never be able to relate, but… it doesn't stop me from wanting to shoulder your pain. I just… I want to see you happy."

The degree of feelings the party girl felt right now were far beyond anything she was used to. After all, her first response was to tackle everything with hostility. While she remained quiet, something inside her felt very different. "I can't do it anymore," she whispered softly as her hands balled into firsts. "I can't hide everything I feel from you…. You see through me, and the more I try to hide, the more I run away, the more you fucking chase me…"

"Yet you never run far enough to get out of sight." They were words of conviction; ones Mike felt no fear in saying whatsoever. Yes, it was true that Audrey was always mean to people at a glance. Even so, she would never run so far as to leave him behind entirely. She always kept within his reach.

"I'm like that because I'm scared people are gonna screw me around." Audrey frowned and snuggled closer to Mike again. "With you it feels- I feel really happy when I'm with you, Mikey. I don't understand what the fuck that means. I'm… not good with feelings anymore."

A clear admission of something and not a riddle. At last, Mike felt as though something was slowly beginning to change inside his girlfriend: It was a sign of hope, to say the very least, "No one's perfect. We all feel confused about our lives. It's what makes us who we are, Audrey. The most important thing I've found, is that… well… I need to be true to myself."

Being honest with her true feelings. Audrey felt her heart tighten in her chest the slightest bit. For years, the concept of being honest with herself was something of a dying art. Indulgence was practically the only thing she knew these days. After all, mindless indulgence was short and empty. It held no threat of hurting you in the end.

"If I'm honest with you… do you promise you won't hurt me?" It was a gamble, one the redhead would usually be too afraid to consider taking. However, just this once she was willing to try. Mike had proved he was capable of keeping a promise to her before, regardless of how difficult the outcome was for the both of them.

Mikey gave a small nod, being quiet deliberately as to not dissuade Audrey when she was on the verge of speaking openly, "….You have my word."

Time itself felt as though it was standing still for Miss Belrose. This was it, the decisive moment. For a long time now she had felt something deep inside her heart for this man. Yet, the fear she always felt toward being close to someone had stopped her time and time again from being straight to the point.

Audrey's body stiffened slightly, the fear of it all threatening to overwhelm her. Her nervous expression twisted into a frown as if by reflex. "….I really really… really… care about you Mike…. I think I'm… fuck!" She cursed, on the verge of losing the will to say it.

The blond gentleman simply gave an understanding smile to coax her along, "Take your time…. I understand this isn't easy for you."

Audrey still felt a familiarity toward direct action. In a single brave move, she threw her arms around Mike's middle and hugged him close as though he were a plush doll. "I'm falling for you… hard! You're patient with me, you understand, and even though I'm a bitch you still care about me…."

A warm smile curved Mike's lips. He softly patted Audrey upon the head, "You're not a bitch," he chuckled happily. "All you're doing is trying to protect yourself. I saw that a long time ago…."

The young lady purred like a kitten in the warmth of their shared embrace, "Thanks," she whispered happily with a giggle, "… I'm serious. Thanks…. It means the fucking world to me."

* * *

"Still can't sleep?" Mike said with a groggy groan. He watched through tired eyes as Audrey, bare as the day she was born, sat at the foot of his bed and smoked a cigarette.

"Na…. I'm like… wide awake right now." She sighed with frustration and looked back to Mikey, "I'm game for _another round_ if you are, baby."

"Give me few minutes," Mikey smirked in recollection of the wonderful moment they just shared. "I'm a little tied up right now." He revealed his hands from beneath the bedsheets, bound by a pair of shiny silver cuffs, "These things hurt your wrists like crazy…."

"Yeah, well… at least that way you can't fucking take me by surprise until I've finished my smoke." Audrey gave a snorty giggle and took another hearty drag of nicotine, "Seriously, Mikey…. I didn't think you were so freaky. Why the hell have you got those, anyway?"

The musician had to come up with an answer fast. Talking about how his sex obsessed former love fairy left them here was not going to cut it in the slightest. "Would you believe me if I said I wanted to try something different?"

"Oh… my god," Audrey erupted in laughter. Her sides hurt to the point where she almost found herself doubling over to cope with it. "….That's like, the lamest fucking excuse I've ever heard… but… if you want to try something new…."

She put out her cigarette and set the ashtray down on the floor. An evil smirk twisted the redhead's lips as she began slinking across the bed in a manner best fitting a prowling tiger. With every passing moment she crept ever closer, until she sprawled across the man clad in sheets.

Audrey's pale fingers gripped the sheets, and pulled them downward to expose the full splendor of Mike's bare body. She whistled with pride, "Ten minutes, and your back in the game already…. I sure know how to pick em…."

However, her playful expression dropped for the moment. Her dark eyes flared with sentimentality as she leaned ever closer to the man she cared for, "….I have something else I need to tell you…. More than all the 'feelings' shit…."

The tone in her voice, the sincerity of it, it was more than enough to give Mike an impression of the importance, "Sure thing…. You know I'm here for you."

"Okay," Audrey began quietly. The shy redness that usually overtook her cheeks at times like this, she could feel it coming back in full force. In the end however, she just gave a resolute nod to prompt herself and laid herself on Mike for comfort. "….Remember how you told me I was your first?"

The young man couldn't help but remember that heated exchange they shared in her apartment the other week. Looking back it seemed as though it was a turning point in their relationship, "Of course I remember."

"Well, yeah… I got like, crazy emotional and shit…." Audrey positioned herself as if she were looking for something. After many a moment of wriggling around she was content, her head rested softly upon his chest.

For a little while, she listened to Mikey's heavy but somewhat slow heartbeat. It filled her with a sense of relaxation, "….There was a reason I got so fired up and stuff…. It's because well… that night… it was my first time too. That's... what I wanted to tell you earlier, but I guess I was nervous. Fucking stupid, huh?"

Suddenly Mike felt as though things made a lot more sense. His heart fluttered as if it had wings of its own, "It's not stupid at all. In fact, ff I weren't tied up I'd hug the shit out of you right now."

Audrey scoffed with a flare of her usual haughty attitude, "You better be happy, or I'll kick your ass. I gave you something I can never take back, and it's part of the reason I…. There was no fucking way I was letting you go after that."

"You're even more of a sweetheart than you realize…." The musician squirmed as close to Audrey within his constraints as he possibly could, "…That's how I felt the whole time, too. What we shared… it meant a lot to me."

"Alright, alright! Enough of the gooey stuff. If you get anymore mushy I might just die!" Just like that, Audrey was back to her usual sassy self.

Mikey couldn't help but feel happy about the whole situation though. The fiery side of her persona was something he had grown to accept. The fact that she also showed her softer tendencies was more than enough for him too. "So, how about you unlock these? I'd really like a little more freedom of movement."

"Oh… I don't think so, not yet," Slinking upward like a sexy snake, Audrey pressed her lips against those of her love. "You taste like liquor…."

A little sigh of arousal escaped Mike's lips in response to the intensity of their kiss. He felt his desire to be one with this gorgeous crimson woman rising all over again, "You have that look in your eyes…. I wonder what's going through your head right now?"

With a naughty giggle, Audrey pulled the key to the cuffs from its hiding place, "How about we find out?" She swiftly leaned up to unshackle Mikey from his bindings. With a deft flick of the wrist, she tossed them across the room, and moved to take hold of both his hands. She gazed lovingly, and swiftly moved to wrap her legs around him like a gymnast. She wanted more of this toned blond bombshell.

"Just the way I like it," she smirked and asserted her dominance by softly digging her long nails into his chest, "….I'm not done with you. The sun isn't up yet…."

Mike felt his entire body shudder in approval. Life with Audrey Belrose was something wild and exciting on the surface. Why would the intimate side of their relationship be any different? Besides, when all was said and done, he really did enjoy being a willing participant in the redhead's sensual torture.

This moment, one that would be immortalized in his memory forever, was something that stood as testament to the bond they shared. Life with this young woman so far had been like a rollercoaster, filled with ups and downs. There were furious exchanges, wonderful highs and chaotic lows. He was willing to accept that, just as he accepted her in the entirety.

After all, Mr Winters believed firmly in his heart that if he stayed beside Audrey, he would be able to bring her the love and the comfort she needed to live a much warmer and happier life. In the end, he realized that it was all she wanted.

Such a thought, bundled together with the passion of the moment, it was enough to give Mikey a truly happy smile, "Hey Audrey…. Baby… you're amazing…."

The ruby-haired temptress gave an arrogant little chuckle, "Trust me, Mikey…. I know…."

In one final moment, she eased herself down upon Mike and softly wiggled her hips. A sigh of enjoyment came free from her mouth as she claimed her man once more. "….Yeah… that's it…."

Overcome with the sensation of Audrey's feminine warmth once again, Mikey let out a submissive nod and surrendered to the pleasure of his beloved. He felt content, both physically and in his heart. Through eyes blurred with bliss, he let out shallow rasps of breath.

Never in his life, would there be another woman like Audrey Belrose. She truly was one of a kind.

With every motion of her hips Mikey felt his senses melting as if by magic, "...Oh shit... Audrey... I love you..."

The redhead let out a little whimper of enjoyment and increased her pace even further. Tiny droplets of sweat trickled down her forehead as she went, totally unwilling to stop for anything, "...Ditto."

At long last, Audrey Belrose and Mike Winters had found that special something they were both looking for all along, each other. How long would it last? Only time would tell.

**Redhead – Complete**


	9. Audrey – Six Months Later (Epilogue)

Six months, to some it was an extremely long time, while to others it passed in the blink of an eye. In such a space of time, lives could change for the better: they could also take a turn for the worst as well. New lives could be born, and old ones would reach the end of their journeys in a final moment of graceful majesty. The eternal sands of time brought people together and tore them apart. While some saw time as the biggest factor of their lives, some simply believed in destiny or twists of fate.

Audrey Belrose – a party girl with a hardened exterior that concealed a fragile woman in search of love. Beneath her coarse surface, there waited a delicate beauty; a flickering flame the likes of which some would never see in their entire lives. The challenge was getting there, beyond the ribbons and frilly dresses, the angry outbursts and her harsh words.

Mike Winters – a talented musician who struggled with internal conflict over his newfound confidence. Unlike the lady, he used the power of his music to show his emotions in a way actions could not. Ultimately a soul of chaotic good, had he truly succeeded in putting his inner struggle to rest?

An awful lot had happened in the past half a year: several of the people involved in the story of the redhead and Mr Winters found themselves changing in ways they could not imagine. Only one question remained by now. Was the glue that bound the crimson beauty and her blond-haired lover still holding?

* * *

A darkened room; midnight black curtains blocking out every last ray of the morning sun. They were more than essential for a pair of nocturnal creatures in the comfort of their dreams. Mike slowly felt his sense of conscious crawling back. Somewhere halfway between awake and asleep his body let out a heave of desperation as his eyes opened in a blur. The entirety of his toned form felt as though an encroaching weight held it in place.

The senses still not quite returned to his body, a subconscious moan escaped his lips, "Wha time is…. What time is it?"

The combined effort of the world itself was insufficient here. Nothing short of sheer willpower was enough to force Mr Winters into moving. Finally, the fog in his head clearing, he stiffly sat upright and let his half-numb fingers patter across the bedside table in search of the phone. "There it is…."

Fear rose higher and higher in his stomach. An early morning was something of a worst enemy. No matter how often he tried to face it there was always something of an unease in the back of his mind. The late night lifestyle of a musician certainly didn't cater to the daytime ritual of your average graduate, that was for sure.

Flipping up the phone screen only caused Mikey to feel even more miserable, "Seven in the morning…. Should never make early plans…."

Rustling bedsheets at his side barely registered with his dull senses. It was far too soon in the morning for something like this. Still groggy as a bear from hibernation, he cast an eye across the mound at his side that took up residence beneath a scruffy patch of quilt.

From beneath the duvet came an arm of pale white, "Ten more minutes," A head of dark red hair popped up next from its hiding place within the warm confines of the bed. "Don't get up yet…."

"I have to, Audrey," Mike reached over to run a gentle hand through her messy bed hair, "It's not like I wanna be up…. Some of the music students called last minute asking for help with their-"

"Fuck em," the redhead slurred as she wiggled closer, pressing the warmth of her delicate body against Mike's side, "Don't be a dick… Stay a little longer."

She forced her dominance with a grumpy frown and held on to Mike's arm a little tighter, anything but pleased with the idea of him leaving yet. "Please?" She asked assertively. "….You're not gonna leave me here all morning and be an ass about it, are you?"

The narrowed gaze and the grouchy 'I've just woken up' scowl. Two ways, in which Mike knew, Audrey wasn't playing around. He set his phone down and wrapped an arm around Audrey's slender middle, "Alright… alright. I can't stay too much longer though."

Audrey's lips curved into a tiny smirk of satisfaction, "Thanks…." Without as much as another word, she snuggled close to Mike with a chuckle of affection. Sometimes a girl had needs, and Miss Belrose certainly wasn't known for backing down until she got exactly what she wanted.

Mike patted Audrey on the head as a gentle flow of warm emotion glowed within his heart. Content, he relaxed into the comfort of their shared embrace. His mind wandered a little toward the thoughts of the day, "It is strange," he whispered in pondering. "I thought the second year music class were finished for this semester. Why would they be asking for my help now?"

"Dunno," Audrey cooed while placing her head in the middle of Mikey's chest. She kept her ear still and listened to the heavy, rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat. "Hey… when you get back," the firecracker paused for a moment, "How about we hit the mall? There's this cute as fuck little dress I really want."

Mikey took a moment thinking it over. His schedule today didn't stretch much beyond helping out at the university this morning and weight training with Markus later on this evening. A few hours shopping didn't sound too bad. "Sure," he nodded agreeably, "I need to get my hair trimmed anyway."

"Oh gawwwwd," Audrey gagged, "You're not going to Kyanna's place again, are you? Seriously… why'd you let that frumpy bitch style your hair?"

Mike sighed to himself, forcing something a smile, "What can I say? She's good at what she does. My highlights come out pretty good, too."

"Careful with that hoe," came Audrey in a low growl, her nails digging into Mike's chest a little as she continued, "She really fucked up my bangs this one time. I hear she's a real slut, too. I bet she's tryin'a lure you in there cuz she wants another baby inside her…."

He certainly wasn't expecting to hear something like that first thing in the morning. Eyes widened a little, Mikey brought his gaze to Audrey, half-nervous, half-inquisitive, and stared "Where the hell did you hear that? You're not telling me Kyanna's some crazy nymph, are you?"

The thought didn't seem to compute no matter how hard he tried.

Meanwhile, Audrey scoffed, her annoyance plain as daylight across her sleepy features, "You'd be surprised the shit I hear in Lusties about her…."

"But," Mike found this a little hard to believe: the concept seemed comical. Even though he'd never admit it openly, he knew her very well. "This is Kyanna we're talking about. She's one of the most harmless people in town."

"Just," Audrey's voice cracked for a moment, much to her frustration, "Be careful around her, you got it?"

Mike smiled in his usual disarming way and caressed Audrey's hair with the tips of his fingers in the hope of calming her down, "I hear you, sweetheart…."

"Good," Audrey huffed and finally relaxed again, "At least you know what's good for you, Mikey…."

Half a compliment felt better than nothing did. Mr Winters realized a very long time ago that from Audrey, a half-assed showing of praise was something of an affectionate thing. He stayed in bed for a little while longer feeling content with his lot in life right now.

Once he took off for the university campus however, Audrey gazed toward the ceiling. Her eyes couldn't have been more green with jealousy. She kept thinking back to Kyanna, "Dirty fucking skank. Needs to keep her dirty baby-mamma hands off my man…."

Closing her eyes, the redhead took a moment to breathe while collecting her thoughts. The last half a year, it'd all been so good. The thought of losing the person she had struggled so hard to obtain, it really scared her. Alone in the confines of Mikey's apartment, she felt a couple of tiny tears leak from her eyes, "….No way am I letting him get away after all this."

* * *

Sky Garden, the capitol city of the fairy world. Huge glitzy buildings floating on magical clouds. Well, that was the Upper City, at least. The Lower City held rows of tiny little offices, bars and shantytowns scattered between giant plains of tall grass and magical plant life, some of it the likes of which humans would never see. Sunflowers with faces, Venus fly traps with huge sharp teeth that laughed manically between their attempts at snapping up passing fairies in their hungry mouths.

Magical power pulsed and swirled everywhere in patterns of rainbow-like radiance. The winged inhabitants fluttered between the clouds of the Upper City, while those in the lower district hopped between the peculiarly shaped; brightly coloured buildings of wonky and artistic design. With nightfall nearby, the streets of Lower City stood illuminated in a cascade of glowing multi-coloured lights.

Kyu gave a sleepy yawn as patrons from the bar she was fluttering past let out a hoot. Guy fairies, one of them at least three-hundred in age, complete with a big booze belly and stubby little wings. "Ey baby," he whistled with a dirty smile, "How about you come back to my place? I've got this awesome little apartment in the Cloud District with a killer view of Upper City!"

"Na, I'll pass, dude," Kyu rolled her eyes in disgust and zipped by with renewed haste, "God… those guys are total pigs…."

The love fairy came to a stop outside a round shaped building of pink bricks. Four stories high, it floated just off the ground with its own supply of magical energy. Resembling something of a mystical castle but with a modern twist and glass windows, it stood tall amidst the sea of grubby bars and tiny apartment buildings that took root in the ground.

"Work, here I come," She cast her gaze upward to the glowing magical sign suspended on the roof of the building. "Love Fairy Inc. All your dating solutions guaranteed."

The company motto left something a sour taste in her mouth because of having to do a double shift. Regardless, she forced a sleepy smile and fluttered toward the open archway entrance, "A fairy's gotta make that munie somehow, right?"

Love Fairy Incorporated: the largest cross-dimensional relationship service of them all. They catered to the needs of every species out there, monsters; humans; fairies, and even those annoying leprechauns. True, the magical creatures hid their realms hidden away from the humans, but honestly, who could blame them? The humans had this weird habit of wanting to conquer everything they touched for centuries.

* * *

Kyu pushed her wings inside her back and slumped on her office chair with a sigh, "Just one more day and then I'm taking my sexy ass to the beach…. Bikini line and tanning, yeah baby."

The sun and the sand, not to mention the beautiful magic waters of the Kraken Sea. She giggled; just the thought of a day off was magical in its own right, "Need a vacation. Stupid Pablo, stupid Spain…. Why can't this case go qui- Huh?"

A blue file sat in the middle of her desk: next to it was a note scribbled in elegant red handwriting. "Was so busy raging I didn't notice you." With a ditzy smile, Kyu picked up the file and opened it out with a snap of her magical fingers.

Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. This picture in the file, there was absolutely no way Venus would give her this case to check up on. Confused, the fairy picked up the letter beside the file, "I'm sure Venus made a silly mistake here…."

The only way to know for sure was to give the letter a read. With a gentle sigh, Kyu brought the piece of paper closer and began scanning the curly handwriting in her head.

' _Kyu, darling… you have been drifting around the office looking like a lost puppy since March. I'm sorry to hear the case in Spain isn't going well, so… I decided to give you a special little job to brighten your spirits. I know you have wanted to see him for a very long time… so go back to the human world for the day and check up on him. Don't worry about your case with Pablo. I'll have Anastasia take your place until you get back. Enjoy yourself, and please try to be back before too long. You know how Anastasia gets when she's in a warm climate. Good luck – Venus.'_

Putting the letter down, Kyu smiled brightly and placed a hand on her chest. This was it, a chance to see just how her protégé had coped on his own. Just the thought of it filled her with excitement and fear in equal measure. "I hope Mikey got his shit together with Red…."

The pink haired magical beauty looked down at his old file, a familiar sight around her office for a while now, and took a few minutes to read its contents all over again.

_Name - Mike Andrew Winters_

Age - Twenty-Two

_Place of Residence – East Drive, Glenberry_

Strongest Traits – Talent/Sensitivity

_Weakest Traits: Flirtation/Luck_

_Status – A couple of fruitless dates, virgin._

_Recommended local candidates – Tiffany Maye, Kyanna Delrio, Beli Lapran._

_Unadvised Local Candidates – Jessie Maye, Audrey Belrose, Aiko Yumi_

_Background – Mike is a graduate of Greenville Community College, a small educational institute the next town over from Glenberry. Since graduation, he has been the lead singer of failing metal band, Third Betrayal. Sorely lacking in determination and major decision-making, he is notorious for only taking things of importance halfway in his life. He made a desperate prayer for help one evening in a bar bathroom. Miss Venus decided to assign Kyu Sugardust to his case in the hope that her likewise quirky personality would have a positive effect on him. Notable relatives in his life include-_

Kyu placed the file back on her desk with a chuckle and smirked sinisterly, "Well… it's about time I get going, and I've got the perfect way to get his attention…."

* * *

Mikey ran a hand through his gelled hair and continued his journey through the corridors of the campus' main building. Strange, the music classroom seemed to be empty when he made his way past a few minutes ago. Perhaps they were practicing in the main gym hall instead. With that in mind, the young gentleman made his way past the crowds of busy students with his new destination in mind.

He felt relief upon arrival, as the familiar sight of one of the music students from class B stood beside the entrance to the gym. "Hey, Mimi!" Mike called out, familiar with the sight of the shy bass guitarist he'd often helped out before.

Mimi, in all of her small stature, jumped in surprise and adjusted her skirt before looking in his direction, "Oh… hellooo Mike…. Everyone else… s'waiting for you… i-inside," she giggled cutely before staggering on two uneasy feet.

The woozy slurring off her voice, the way she swayed from side to side, Mike raised a brow in concern and went over to hold her steady, "Hey, you alright? You look a little-"

His eyes widened in surprise, "The fuck?"

Mimi's cheeks had a bright red flush. A pinkish aura that smelled like candy softly resonated from her body, and both of her pupils held the shape of red love hearts. In Mike's protective embrace she giggled, "Go on… Everyone's waiting for you…."

Something about this whole thing seemed familiar, the sweet scent; that pink almost magical colour, not to mention her weird responses. Being extra careful with her, Mikey helped Mimi lean against one of the seats in the hallway. "Stay put, okay? I'll be right back."

"Kaaaaaaay!" She chimed in response before slumping into a chair. For no reason at all she burst into a fit of laughter, "I feeeeel reeeaaaly funny!"

* * *

Completely empty, there was not a single soul inside the gym right now. Confused even further, Mike made his way deeper in. Just what in the heck was going on here?

The echo of his shoes against the hardwood bounced off the walls, "Guys? Is anyone here? I saw Mimi outside and she looks a little-"

"Relax, dude! I used a little fairy magic on your cute little friend. Give her ten minutes. She's gonna have a huge orgasm and then it'll wear off. She'll be good as new!"

Fluttering wings, a sound that Mikey could never forget no matter how hard he tried. He froze in place as rigid as a statue, "Kyu…?"

"Bingo! Ten points!" She came to a stop beside the musician and fluttered just off the ground. His expression, it wasn't what she was expecting. His features were so stiff and still, almost as though he looked directly at a ghost.

Miss Sugardust dropped to the ground and let out a cheerful giggle. "C'mon, bro! You've gotta be happy to see me, right? Right…?"

Tidal waves of memory surged within Mike's mind. Events of the past, some of which he had contentedly locked away in his fondness, came rushing to the forefront with the intensity of a raging tsunami. How was Kyu here? She said she was leaving forever. The contract he signed and his final goodbye. None of this made any sense at all. His thoughts went further and further back to their first meeting at the bar.

His lips slowly curved into a smile, and with a fond beating in his heart, Mikey gave a nod, "You can't stay gone at all, can you?"

"Nope," she winked playfully. With a little more caution than usual, Kyu placed a hand upon her former client's shoulder. It was so good to see him again, "My boss is giving me one more day. I need to make sure things with you and Red are going good. Can't close your case until then."

"I understand," One more day, a little more time. Time to say goodbye now that months had passed. He'd squared his feelings away in Lusties all those months ago. At least this way, when Kyu did leave for good, he would be able to have the lasting closure of a proper, less emotionally chaotic farewell. "It's good to see you again, Kyu."

"Hehe… likewise, Tiger." She took Mikey by the hand and buzzed off in the direction of the doors, "C'mon! Let's go somewhere! I've been waiting an hour for you to get here!"

* * *

The hill overlooking the edge of town, a familiar place for them both alike. For hours on end, they simply talked about everything they'd missed with the passage of time. Minutes slipped into hours, and soon the sun was setting: The orange glow bathed them both in its radiance as the evening drew nearer and nearer.

Mikey looked out to the cloudless vista ahead and nodded, "Yeah, that's right! Things have been going well between us. She spends half her nights lounging around on my couch. Kinda reminds me of someone, actually…."

Her human disguise in full flare, Kyu flipped back her wavy brown hair and chuckled with a dirty smile to boot, "….But does she paint her toenails while she watches the por-"

"Of course not," Mikey shook his head thoughtfully. Half a year hadn't changed her in the slightest. It was the same Kyu stood beside him by the railings. No doubt about it. "I don't think many girls do that. It's gotta be your personal thing, Kyu."

"What can I say? I'm a special case!" Kyu beamed cheerfully in enjoyment. Every moment she spent beside this guy gave her a feeling far beyond anything words could describe.

"That," Mike chuckled in gleeful amusement, "You most certainly are. Are all the love fairies out there like you?"

Kyu thought about the average girls in department back in Sky Garden. An answer certainly wasn't very far away, "Na…. I guess you could call me one of a kind. My boss, Venus, she always seems to give me the most… complicated jobs…"

She leaned in Mike's direction and winked with playful flare, " _Complicated jobs_ ," she repeated the point a second time, just to make sure it reached the intended target, smiling all the way, as she did so.

Truthfully, it wasn't something Mike hadn't heard before, even if it was only meant playfully this time around, "Hey," he began dramatically, a hand placed upon his chest, "I'm hurt… wounded in fact! My fragile heart just can't take that kind of abuse!" He topped off the performance with an exceedingly over the top gasp.

"Haha!" Kyu held her sides for a moment. The laughter was a little much, but something about Mikey always seemed to make her feel soft inside. She looked toward him for a quiet moment. He seemed too busy gazing out toward the sunset to notice now. Her heart still felt heavy. _I'm going to miss you like crazy_ , she thought.

Kyu looked to her little pink watch with a sigh. She reached and gave Mike a gentle tap on the shoulder.

His attention was pulled away from the wonderful scenery, "What's up? I was daydreaming for a second there!"

Kyu smiled sadly, as she gave a gesture in the direction of her watch, "Time for me to go." This was proving to be just as difficult as the first time around. While it was true that one final chance to see Mike again was something of a blessing, the goodbye was extremely unpleasant. Regardless, she had to steel herself for the future ahead. Arms open wide, Kyu gave a glowing smile as wide as her heart could manage, "C'mere, dude!"

Mike didn't even think twice. He placed his arms around Kyu and hugged her close as if she were a teddy bear, "You turned my life around. You know, it's funny…. One night I prayed for someone like you to save my ass."

Kyu felt the frantically beating little heart in her chest quicken in response. Subconsciously, her grip tightened around the fabric of his jacket and she smiled happily, "…I did an awesome job, didn't I?"

Mike gave a chuckle. For all the chaos, he had no regrets with this outcome. Nothing whatsoever served as a source of restless nights, "You did a better job then I could've hoped for. Thank you, Kyu. Thank you for every little thing you've done for me."

"You know it, buddy. You know it," the thought of leaving suddenly didn't hurt anymore. In this final moment, Kyu felt something deep inside finally go into peaceful rest, "You made my life pretty fun too. For a human… you're total bauce!"

For many a moment there weren't anymore words. Nothing else needed to be said during this, a most peaceful of final farewells. Kyu took all the time she needed. "You have a good life with Red, you hear? Sure, she's a little feisty, but have you seen that bangin body of hers? Bro, for real, don't let her go!"

This was Kyu at her finest. Mike laughed for a moment in recollection of her words and held her just that little bit tighter. "She's actually a secret sweetheart once you get past the surface. I'll treat her good, I promise."

"That's the spirit, a true gentleman, right here," Kyu gently freed herself from their embrace and backed up a couple of steps. "Well," with a snap of her fingers the flowery door leading back to Sky Garden materialized in a vibrant flash of sugary pink magic, "It's about time I take off! Farewell Mikey Boy! It's been awesome, homie!" Just like that, she gave corny movie salute, "Get your ass home and bang that broad! Doctor Kyu's orders!"

Without looking back, Kyu stepped into the doorway, hand on heart, and closed her eyes, "Maybe in another dimension there's a Kyu getting what she wants right now." After whispering her final words, the doorway vanished: Miss Sugardust was heading home.

This time around, Mikey felt no weight dragging down his heart as the candyfloss fairy took her leave. His gaze now fixated upon the final dying rays of sunlight, he let out a little sigh, and walked away. "Wait for me Audrey…. I'll be back soon."

* * *

Only a handful of shoppers wandered past this late in the evening. Strange, the mall was surprisingly quiet. Audrey sat across from Mike, surrounded by her massive bags of shopping, and gave an evil smile, "You know how to keep a girl waiting…. So, how are you going to make it up to me?"

One leg folded over the other, she kept up this frustrated charade like a true spoiled princess, "Think very carefully about your answer…."

Mike gave a bow of the head and looked away for the moment, "Sorry…. I didn't mean to get held up for so long. I just… got a little tied up."

Silence fell. Audrey took many a moment to mull over his attempt at an apology. She had to keep him in line. After all, he was her man, and more than anything, she enjoyed being in control of their relationship. "I'm not sure I believe you," she scoffed with bratty petulance, "It's going to take a lot more than that to earn my forgiveness. After all, I sat around that apartment of yours waiting all day long…."

Mike nodded, apparently still oblivious to the act, and was gazing at his clasped hands as they rested on the table, "Well, I do have something for you…. It was going to be a surprise, but I suppose I could give it to you. I know you like presents."

Audrey felt surprise as her heart jumped the tiniest bit. Mikey had already bought her plenty today, most of which she hadn't even asked for either. What more could he have possibly gotten for her?

"I suppose you have my attention," Audrey let her expression soften slightly as she expectantly waited. Mike fiddled around in his jacket pocket and produced a pair of little boxes. Her heart began pumping even faster. Those looked like jewellery boxes.

Slowly, and nervously, she continued to watch as Mikey slid one of the boxes across the middle of the table. He carefully pulled up the lid and smiled warmly, "This is for you. Well… I got us both one, actually, a matching pair."

The comforting shine of silver. Audrey couldn't find the words. Sat inside the dinky little container was a small circular locket made of real silver. She carefully reached out and took the precious little trinket from the box. Her dainty hands turned it over to look at the back. In the middle, the letters _A.B_ were engraved in fine handwriting, "Mike… I-"

"Open it," he whispered softly, "Take a look inside."

With delicate movement of the fingers Audrey, still speechless for the most part, opened the fragile little locket. Her heart raced faster than it had ever done, "…You did this for- Mike, its great…. It's totally fucking awesome…."

A picture of them both sat on the couch in Lusties V.I.P room was staring back at her from within the locket. No guy she'd ever spent time with before had gone to such trouble. Audrey closed her eyes and smiled happily, "Playing with a girl's heart like this…. You're think you're real smooth don't you?"

"Audrey," came Mikey's quiet voice before she opened her eyes again, "….Don't ever leave me," he spoke softly. The redhead felt the weight of the sincerity in his words. Not only did they seem so deeply from the heart, but also the slightest bit fearful too. "This past six months," he continued, "They've been amazing, some of the best I've ever had. So please, stick around, won't you? I wanna spend even more time with you."

Audrey stood from her little wooden seat and came toward Mike with emotion swirling in her powerful eyes. He'd taken her apart again, dismantled her with his gentle voice and his affectionate sentiment. Unable to hold back, she pulled him up from his chair and threw her arms around his middle. Tears streamed from her eyes, they cascaded, but she didn't care. For once, she felt no need to play the tough girl, "I love you," she whimpered lovingly and clung to his chest for dear life, "You're absolutely amazing… and now you're totally," Audrey paused for a moment and sniffled, "…you're totally fucking stuck with me."

"Stuck with you is exactly what I want to be," Miss Belrose basked in the comfort of Mike's words and simply remained within the warmth of his arms. She didn't give a fuck about the crowds, anyone who saw her could go to hell. Right now Audrey was feeling so perfect inside. Nothing was going to stop it. No, not a single thing could rain on her parade.

"Good," the redhead finally responded with a snotty little giggle, "Because if you think you're getting rid of me now… then you've got another thing coming, Mikey."

The mucisian held Audrey the slightest bit tighter. She simply melted into the full extent of their embrace. Her entire world felt as though it was floating atop the highest clouds. It was in this wonderful moment that so much became clear to her. All those times she fired up, all those times, she got drunk, it was in an attempt to find some form of happiness. However, the true answer to all of her prayers had finally arrived. No, it had been here for almost a year now.

Audrey dried her eyes against Mike's shirt. She was done being mushy for today. With a little strength she broke free of their shared embrace and gazed at her peroxide-haired boyfriend with an assertive smile, "We're going home, hot stuff."

Leaning in one more time, she kissed him forcefully on the lips, a kiss that Mike seemed all too willing to give in return. She set the pace, the intensity, everything, this was her kiss, her rules. Yet, when she broke away, she couldn't help but give a playful wink, "Well…? Grab my shopping bags and let's go, Mikey!"

"Sure thing sweetheart," he nodded in agreement, "Sure thing."

The inner world within Mike's heart felt at peace. He hurriedly picked up all of Audrey's shopping as she carefully carried both of their lockets and romped ahead with an aloof stride in her step.

This whole thing felt worthwhile in Mr Winters' heart. After all, he'd ridden the rollercoaster ride of the life that was Audrey Belrose, and won. True, his life wasn't a game, but all the same, it still felt damn good to win sometimes.

' _Go get her, Tiger.'_

Kyu's signature words resonated in his head for a moment, bringing a suave smile across his face, "Don't you worry Kyu… she's all mine…."

**The End  
**


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